The Legend of Zelda: Twilight's Return
by TwiliRupee
Summary: Post TP, fate brings two lovers together once more. Link, Midna, and Zelda must travel together to rid the worlds of light and dark of evil once more, but this time in the Twilight Realm. The sequel is now up!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I mean, yes, Princess."

"You don't have to treat me like the rest of the kingdom. We are friends."

"I know. But I still want to make an impression other than the fact that I'm a goat herder from the south."

"You're a Hero, too."

"Hero or not, they judge me on how I act, not what I've done for Hyrule. And I've done a lot."

The Princess looked at the Hero, smiling softly before looking back out at the twilit sky. "I know you've done a lot for Hyrule...and for me," she said. "But Link, you shouldn't let other's opinions force you to not act yourself. I wouldn't be where I am today if I listened to all the gossip about me."

Link nodded, resting his head on his hands as he stared out from the balcony of the castle. Beside him, the Princess shifted her stance, glancing at him again. He looked up at her.

"Do you ever feel...sad as dusk falls?" he asked.

"Sad? Why?"

Link sighed. "I've been thinking a lot over these two years." He gave a small laugh. "Can you believe it? Two years since I sent Ganondorf back to where he came from. Two years since..."

"Since Midna broke the Mirror."

Link nodded. "Got it in one."

"It that why you feel sad at dusk?" Princess Zelda of Hyrule asked. "Because it reminds you of Midna?"

Link shrugged, not answering the Princess' question. Zelda let it drop. Link didn't like to talk much when he was like that. Or, at least, that's what she got from him from his short and not-so-frequent visits on his rounds through Hyrule, making sure that things were still peaceful. When he wasn't doing that, he was living back at his home in Ordona Province, in the quiet village of Ordon.

As Link sighed, Zelda remembered the last time she had seen the Twilight Princess..._two years ago, she, Link, and Midna stood next to the Mirror of Twilight, giving the Twilight Princess a last farewell before she left for the Twilight Realm. After a moment of small talk regarding the Twili and light and shadow in general, Midna looked at Zelda, sincerity in her eyes._

"_Zelda...your words are kind, and your heart is true. If all in Hyrule are like you...then maybe you'll do all right."_

_Zelda nodded her thanks, but was confused at the compliment. What did the Twilight Princess mean? She would have to ponder it later. Midna stepped over to the glowing rectangle in the stone, moving with a grace, despite her tall stature. The stairs activated, and she turned to look at the Hero and Princess. "Thank you..." she said, more to Link than to Zelda. "Well, the Princess spoke truly: as long as the Mirror's around, we could meet again..." She paused, her eyes filling with sadness. "Link..." she said, a silvery tear slipping from the corner of her eye. The teardrop floated off her cheek and she pushed it along with a wave of her hand toward the mirror._

"_I..." Once again the Twilight Princess faltered in her words. The glowing teardrop moved smoothly through the air. "See you later..." Midna finally managed to say._

_Zelda realized what Midna was doing before the tear drop hit the Mirror, a fine web of cracks radiating from the center. Link gasped beside Zelda, looking at the mirror. He turned back as Midna ran up the stairs._

"_No," Link said, stepping forward to stop the Twilight Princess. Midna only smiled at him. Her figure dissolved as she warped, but Zelda noticed how Midna's gaze never left Link's face. The mirror shattered into a thousand glittering particles with a great noise. Link, out of instinct, shielded his face. Zelda saw the white lines on the black rock fade. Link dropped his hand from his face, staring almost incomprehensibly at the large black rock, sadness reigning each of his features. Zelda laid a hand on his shoulder._

"_Come," she said. "Let's head back."_

_Link nodded mutely and led the way out of the mirror chamber, stealing one last glance at the blank rock, at the empty Mirror frame._

Link's sigh brought Zelda from the memory. "I think I'll start back to Ordon," he said.

"Now?"

Link nodded. "I've traveled at night. I can handle it."

"Are you sure? You're more than welcome to stay here tonight."

"I appreciate the offer, but...I just want to get out on the road."

Zelda studied him. "I understand. I'll walk you to the stables." She and the Hero walked through the castle quietly, until they reached the stables where Link's faithful mare waited, dozing in the light of twilight.

"Hey, there, Epona," Link said softly, waking his horse. Epona lifted her head and whinnied softly, snuffling his hands for anything tasty. The Hero stroked her nose and led her out into the stable yard with Zelda. Before he mounted, he turned to the Princess. "It was nice to see you again, Princess."

"And you as well. Safe travels, Hero," Zelda replied. Link gave her his trademark grin and mounted. He spurred his horse forward, riding off into the twilight.


	2. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: So, I'm relatively new to Fanfiction, which explains the lack of an Author's Note in the previous chapter. Thanks to Kiba Wolf for the great reveiw. Enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!_

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><p><strong>Chapter One<br>**Link rode along, trying to shun the thoughts of Midna from his mind. He didn't, couldn't, bear to think of her...not now. He shook his head and pushed Epona into a canter, taking the road that ended up in Faron Province. Epona tossed her head, her long stride eating up the ground below.

But the thoughts came anyway. He recalled the first time he had seen her in her true, non-imp form. She had claimed that she was so beautiful she had made him speechless. He had laughed, but it was almost true. Her stunning beauty and kind personality made him want her to stay in Hyrule. He wanted her to be more than just his best friend and companion through the long journey he had been through. But he knew she couldn't. She was of a different world; she had to get back to her people and help rebuild the mess the Twilight Realm had fallen into.

Link shook his head and leaned over his horse's neck, clearing his mind of everything. He listened to the beats of Epona's hooves on the ground, steering her toward a log. She popped over it joyfully and Link couldn't help but grin. How he missed this! He never got the chance to just ride Epona for the fun of it...not since he was deemed the chosen Hero of the goddesses. Epona seemed to be enjoying herself, too.

The pair entered Faron Woods after what seemed like a long time, and Link pulled Epona back to a trot, riding past trees and the sleeping Coro, the lantern salesman, through a tunnel and past the spirit spring, which, like always, glowed with a soft light, despite the fact that it was the middle of the night.

As Link rode through a clearing, he felt a familiar tingle at the back of his neck, like there was some strong presence nearby. He stopped Epona, hand on his sword, and looked around. Nothing. No one. He looked up, knowing that this had been one of the many spots where the Portals of Twilight had been. The portals were doorways to warping, Midna's way of traveling quickly from place to place.

As the Hero looked up to the sky, the portal, long since dormant, returned, the swirling green and black lines almost mesmerizing Link. He shook his head. Nothing was happening.

He pushed Epona on, leaving behind the portal. He and his faithful horse entered Ordona Province, heading straight for his house. He put Epona in the small stable and removed her saddle and bridle. Epona snorted her thanks and began munching on some hay. Link gave a final pat to his horse and left the stable, entering his house. He unbuckled his sword belt and put the whole thing – sword, sheath, belt, and shield – on a table near his bed before lighting a few candles. Something caught his eye, like it always did when he came home. He went over to it and picked it up. It was a shackle and chain made to keep a wolf contained. He sighed.

At the beginning of his journey to save Hyrule, he had turned into a wolf and been imprisoned in a cell and chained to the floor. Midna had cut the chain loose, leaving the shackle and the few links of chain on to rattle as he ran. Only as a last gesture before she left did she remove the chain completely. "You aren't my servant anymore," she had said, teasingly referring back to when they first met.

A wave of exhaustion rolled over him and he put the shackle down, deciding it would be best if he got some sleep. He changed from his Hero outfit to something more comfortable, blew out the lantern, and got into bed, drifting off immediately...

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><p>The woman stumbled, nearly falling on her knees. She caught a low branch of a nearby tree and saved herself from the tumble, leaning against the trunk. She pressed a hand to her side, grimacing in pain from the series of gashes there. She was bleeding badly, and she knew she would be attracting unwanted creatures soon. But she didn't care. She had to find him.<p>

Squinting her eyes against the bright sunny day, she looked around. Yes. She knew where she was. She was almost there. Then she could find him. He would help her. After a moment of resting against the tree, she moved on, her long black traveling cloak sweeping the forest floor. She drew her hood over her head, hoping it would protect her eyes from the sun, which seemed so much brighter than she remembered.

She came around a bend in the path she was following. There! His house stood, like a sentinel, guarding the rest of the village. She stepped forward, peering around. Things hadn't changed much since the last time she had been here. The only difference was the stable built next to his house. She looked inside the stable, knowing that if his horse was there, he was there.

But her heart sank. No horse.

She leaned against a tree, trying to figure out what she would do. She couldn't wait here for him. She had to find him now. She closed her eyes, her breathing harsh. What if she went to Zelda? Zelda would know where he was. Yes! That's what she would do!

A noise brought her attention back to the world around her. She opened her eyes and saw a girl standing at the entrance to the village, staring at her. The woman tried to recall what the girl's name was...Ilia? Yes. That was it. Ilia took a step back, but not out of fear, more like out of concern. She disappeared back down the path to the village, perhaps to get help. The woman sighed. She had no time for anyone's help but his...or Zelda's. She gathered what little energy she had and warped to the portal closest to the castle. Her knees gave way and she fell, catching herself with her hands. She didn't know how long it was until she saw another person's shadow beside her own. The person knelt and the woman looked up into the face of the Princess of Hyrule.

"Where is he?" the woman managed to ask. "Where is Link?"

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><p>The goat bleated and took off at a run, its strange horns making it hard to go very fast. It spied a nice patch of grass and slowed down, only to be taunted into a run again by a loud "Hyaa!" and pounding hooves behind it. What little common sense this creature possessed told it to high tail it to the large stable where many of its companions were. Two of the other goats joined it, trying to flea the pounding hooves behind them.<p>

Link turned Epona away from the stable, heading toward the final set of lazy goats. He rounded them up, pushing them toward the stable. As they ran into it, Link pulled his horse to a stop, grinning.

"Boy, that was yer best round yet!" Fado exclaimed. The owner of the ranch grinned broadly up at Link as the Hero trotted over to where he was standing. "A minute an' a half!"

Link dismounted. "That's pretty fast."

"Yup! Soon, you'll be herding 'em faster than the blink o' an eye." Fado laughed. "If that's even possible." Link laughed as well.

"So, bud," Fado said. "How long are ya staying here this time?"

Link shrugged. "A week or so, I guess."

"Good! Gives us a chance to celebrate yer birthday."

"Fado, my birthday is only today..."

"It's not everyday ya turn nineteen! We want to make this a party to remember. 'Sides, ya warn't here last year, or the year before that."

"Yeah...I was a bit busy, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, bein' a Hero an' all."

Link nodded, stroking Epona's neck. He heard his name being called. Ilia ran up the path from the village.

"Link, come quick," Ilia said. "There's someone by your house. I couldn't see their face because they had a cloak and hood on, but they look injured...really injured." Link nodded. He and Ilia ran back to his house, but there was no one there.

"Are you sure you saw someone?" Link asked.

"Yes. They were right there by the stable."

Link walked over, looking for signs that someone had been there. He saw blood on the grass next to the stable, as well as on a tree next to it. He frowned. The blood didn't look normal. It was crimson, almost orange. He looked over at Ilia. "Whoever this person was, they didn't want to stay for help."

"Should we find them?" Ilia asked. "If they're injured, they couldn't have gotten far."

Link nodded. The two started off, following a trail of the strange blood. The trail led to the Ordona Spirit Spring, disappearing all together. Link looked up and, like he expected, saw the swirling green and black portal over head. "I think our mysterious visitor was a Twili."

"Twili?" Ilia looked up at the portal as well.

"They're a race from a different dimension, and they use these portals to travel to places fast. I had the pleasure to get to know one really well."

"So will we be able to find the Twili?"

Link shook his head. "My guess is that the Twili came here by this portal and then warped after you saw him or her. By the time we figure out where the Twili went and then get there by conventional means, he or she will be gone." He shrugged. "Let's get back to Ordon."

"So we can get your party going," Ilia teased. Link laughed. The two of them left the spring and headed back to Ordon.

"So are any of your friends from outside coming to wish you happy birthday?" Ilia asked.

"I think only one person knows it's actually my birthday," Link replied. "And I know she can't make it."

"Who? Princess Zelda?"

"No, another friend of mine."

Ilia nodded and decided not to press the matter further.

If you ever visit Ordon, it's always a good idea to go when there's a party. Ordon Village parties are not simple little get together events. This evening, for Link's birthday, was no different. The entire village celebrated the Hero's birthday.

As the evening was drawing to a close, Link watched the villagers, contemplating his luck to have such a loving extensive family as the villagers here. He had never known his parents well, he only had a few unclear memories. According to Bo, the mayor, his parents had lived here in Ordon for a few years before dying from a mysterious illness, leaving their two-and-a-half-year-old son behind. The entire village had become Link's family over time, and the young Hero wouldn't have it any other way.

"You're quiet tonight."

Link looked up and saw his mentor, Rusl, standing next to him. He had his two-year-old daughter in his arms.

"I'm just thinking," Link replied. "It's been a long two years."

"Indeed it has," Rusl replied. "You've become a great Hero since then." The two were quiet, watching the festivities. After a few minutes, the villagers picked up the sound of hooves. A soldier of the Hylian Army rode in. He reined in horse in, looking around.

"I have a message for the Hero Link," he said.

"That would be me," Link said, stepping forward. The messenger handed him a sealed envelope and rode away.

Link looked down at the letter, frowning. The tidy writing on the front could only be Zelda's. He quickly opened the letter and began to read it.

_Link-_

_I hope this finds you fast. Please, as soon as you can, come to the castle. It's incredibly urgent. I can't explain it here in writing, so it's best if you come._

_Regards,_

_Zelda_

"What's it say, Link?" Colin said. He was Rusl's twelve-year-old son, and he had always admired Link.

"I have to go," Link said, folding the letter.

"Go?" Fado asked. "Where?"

"Back to the castle. Something's wrong." Link ran up the path to his house, leaving the rest of the village to murmur, wondering what could possibly happen in such a time of peace.

Link grabbed his sword and shield from his house, thankful that Epona still had her saddle and bridle on. As he came out, Ilia walked up the path from the main village. "What happened?" she asked.

"I don't exactly know. The Princess didn't specify." Link finished buckling his sword belt on and looked at his childhood friend. "She said it was urgent, so the peace of Hyrule may be destroyed, and then I'll have to find a way to get everything back."

"Such is the life of a Hero, huh?" Ilia asked.

"Yes." Link mounted. He looked down at Ilia. "I don't know how long I'll be gone. So until then..."

"I understand. Go."

Link nodded and spurred Epona into a canter.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two  
><strong>Zelda paced the main courtyard of the castle anxiously. The sun was setting, but Link was nowhere to be found. She had to stay calm. It would take the messenger she sent a while to get to Link, and then it would take a while for Link to come. But that would only be if he could come the moment he received the letter. She shouldn't worry. Link would come, and her mysterious visitor would explain why she was here.

She sighed and decided to take a walk through the town. Maybe that would calm her nerves some. She started off, nodding to the guards who stood at attention when they saw her. She stopped by the fountain in the center of town. The sun had set, but the town was still bustling. People were returning home, going through the streets like they always had.

_Now what?_ she thought, looking up at the Triforce symbol above the fountain. _Will peace be shattered? This fragile peace that's lasted a meager two years?_ She sighed, looking into the glowing waters of the fountain. Normally she would be optimistic, but today's events were just not proving the peace would last much longer. Hyrule would be flooded with turmoil once again, and she would have to watch her kingdom suffer, while Link, like a one-man army, did his best to restore hope and peace. But this time, she vowed, she would help. She would not be a helpless damsel in need of rescue. Not like last time.

She sat down on the edge of the fountain, trailing her fingers through the water. _Oh, what will come of my kingdom?_

She sat there, letting the sound of the fountain calm her nerves. Everything was going to be fine, right?

She didn't know how long she sat there, but clopping hoof beats brought her attention elsewhere. She looked up and saw Link leading Epona toward her. Zelda stood.

"I came as soon as I can. What happened?" Link asked with worry in his voice.

"Come," Zelda said. She led Link back to the castle, Link made sure Epona was taken care of by one of the many stable hands in the castle before following Zelda inside, winding through the many hallways. "You might be surprised," Zelda said.

"Exactly what is this about, Princess?" Link asked. Zelda stopped, her hand on the handle of a door. She looked at him with her dark blue eyes, telling him to wait. She motioned for him to be quiet and opened the door.

The room was lightly furnished. A four poster bed sat in one corner opposite a few windows. There was a fireplace, and mantel. Above the fireplace was the seal of the Royal Family of Hyrule. There were a few chairs. That was it.

On the bed lay a Twili, wounded badly. But this wasn't just any Twili. This was Midna. Bandages were wrapped around her middle, and she seemed to be in a lot of pain. Her eyes were closed. Zelda walked over to her. "Midna? Are you awake?"

Midna nodded. "Did you find him?" she asked in a weak voice, her eyes still closed.

"Yes. He's here." Zelda turned and motioned for Link to come closer. Link did so as Midna opened her eyes some. She smiled when she saw Link and slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"Hey there, Hero," she said.

"How'd you get here?" Link asked, pulling up a chair to sit by the bed.

Midna gave him a wry smile. "What kind of greeting is that? I see you for the first time in two years and all you can do is ask how I got here?"

"Fine," Link said, smiling. "Hello, Midna. It's nice to see you."

"Better, Hero." She sighed. "Now I'll tell you why I'm here."

"I asked how, not why?"

"But that was going to be your next question, wasn't it?"

"Perhaps."

Midna waved an impatient hand. "Do you want to hear it or not?" Despite the teasing tone in her voice, the Twilight Princess' question seemed almost desperate.

Link nodded. "Sorry. Go ahead."

Midna studied him for a moment. Then she took a deep, shaking breath. "I came, because I need your help, Link. These past two years have not been as peaceful as I had hoped. I had to deal with Zant's followers. Somehow, a group of Twili got into their heads that Zant was the real ruler of the Twili, which is ridiculous!" The Twilight Princess paused. "Anyway, I fought by the side of those Twili loyal to me, and we managed to get the rebellion down. But they never gave up. Every so often, they'd spark up more fighting, recruiting monsters several times. I wanted to give up, they just didn't seem to get the message. But I didn't. I thought of you, Link, and knew I could stand strong.

"Then yesterday, somehow, he came back. Zant came back, bringing his shadow beasts with him. He attacked me and sent me out of the palace again, telling me I had two days to run before he would hunt me down and...and kill me."

"So Zant is the one who injured you?" Zelda asked.

"Yes. This is his handiwork." Midna gestured to the bandages.

"What did you do after Zant said that?" Link asked.

"I did the first thing that came to mind. I came back here by the Mirror."

"But...the Mirror's broken."

"Link, you know only a true ruler of the Twili can break the Mirror of Twilight completely." Link nodded. Midna had explained that to him when they were looking for the Mirror shards. "The same is true for the reverse," Midna continued. "Only a true ruler of the Twili can fix it. And that's what I did. I fixed it and returned here. But it took a lot out of me. I couldn't leave the Mirror Chamber until this morning. I went to Ordon first, thinking that you would be there. But I only saw that girl, Ilia, and she didn't do much but stare at me and then leave."

"She was going to get me," Link said. "You should have stayed there."

"I didn't know." Midna gave him a mock glare. "But anyway, I warped to Castle Town, and then Zelda found me." The Twilight Princess seemed close to tears now, and Link was shocked. He had never seen her like this. "Link, you have to help," Midna said. "You're the only one who can. He's coming to find me. I left the Mirror together and he'll know I've come here. I...I don't know where else to turn."

"Hey," Link said, interrupting her. "Listen. I'll help you out, okay? I'll make sure Zant doesn't get you."

Midna nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes. Link hesitated, wanting to embrace his friend, to hold her close and make sure she knew she was not alone in this.

But he knew he couldn't. She was from the Twilight Realm, he was from Hyrule. She was a princess, he was just a lowly goat-herder.

After a moment and some deep breaths, Midna calmed down. "I'm sorry...I just..."

"Don't worry," Zelda said. "We'll take care of it. Right, Link?"

Link nodded. "Yeah. You just take it easy and recover from what Zant did to you."

Midna smiled her thanks and Link stood. "Wait," Midna said. She gave Link a grin. "Happy birthday, Hero," she said.

Link grinned. "Thanks, Midna," he said. He and Zelda left to room so the Twilight Princess could rest.

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><p>"Isn't the rain peaceful?" Midna asked, looking out the window of one of the more private sitting rooms in the castle. The Twilight Princess had gotten bored as soon as morning came, so Zelda told her that she could use the nearby sitting room.<p>

"Not when you have to watch the goats," Link replied from his place next to Midna at the window.

"Sure it is."

"I'm serious. You get all wet and cold and the rain makes the goats smell so bad you can barely breathe."

"Ah, the tough life of a goat-herder," Midna teased, laughing.

Link rolled his eyes. "That's why I chose the even tougher life of the Hero."

"Last time I checked, you didn't choose to be the Hero, someone else did for you."

"Well, I did have a life before I met you." Link grinned. "Maybe I was already a Hero."

Midna glanced at him, a teasing look in her orange eyes. "Yeah: a hero of the stinky goats."

Link glared teasingly at the Twilight Princess, but she merely laughed, turning back to the window. Link watched her, worried. "Should you be standing so long?" he asked. Midna rolled her eyes.

"Link, I'm fine," she said, giving him a soft smile. Link nodded, returning his gaze back out the window. They were silent, enjoying each other's company.

It seemed like a long while before Zelda burst into the room, looking worried. "Zant's marching toward the castle," she said. "He's got his whole army of shadow beasts with him."

"I knew he would find me," Midna said, that strange tone of despair appearing in her voice. "I've put you all in danger."

"I laugh in the face of danger," Link stated boldly. "Stay here. We'll keep him out of the castle."

Midna nodded. Link and Zelda dashed out of the room, hurrying to the main courtyard where, already, Zant's shadow beasts were charging at some brave soldiers guarding the entrance to the castle. Link drew his sword and stepped out to join the soldiers in the drizzling rain. Zelda stood under the protection of what could be called the castle's covered porch with a few other archers, who all fired arrows at any exposed monster.

Within a minute, the monster's forces were thinning. The soldiers and Link all fought harder, seeing the scales tipping in their favor. But suddenly, the monsters stopped fighting, backing off. Link motioned for the rest of the soldiers to stand their ground. His blond hair was plastered to his forehead, his tunic soaked through.

The shadow beasts parted, letting a tall, thin figure through. Link gripped his sword tighter. He hadn't believed it until now. But it was true. Zant really was back. He and the soldiers moved to Zelda's side, drenched from their fight in the rain. He studied his enemy. Zant looked the same: he had the same helmet-mask combo, and the same strange black, gray, and green outfit and metal shoes. He held two curved daggers, one in each hand.

"What do you want, Zant?" Zelda asked, her strong voice carrying across the courtyard. The evil Twili stopped, supposedly glaring through his creepy mask, but it was hard to tell.

"You know perfectly well what I want, Zelda of Hyrule," Zant replied. His voice had a metallic resonance to it from the helmet, but the tone in his voice let all know the villain was still insane...and proud of it.

Link raised his sword, ready to defend the Princess if the villain attacked. "What, you want the kingdom?" he asked. "Sorry, but that's off limits."

"Silence, whelp!" Zant shouted, storming forward. Link pointed his sword at him and he stopped. The pinging of the rain of Zant's mask and the soldiers' armor emphasized the silence. "Just tell me what I want and I will leave your pathetic kingdom alone."

"And what might that be?" Zelda asked, using a mockingly diplomatic tone. She knew the answer already, however, but feigned ignorance.

"Where is the Twilight Princess?"

"Do you honestly believe we would betray our friend?" Link demanded.

Zant gave a hollow laugh. "If you do not tell me, I will make sure your kingdom burns to the ground."

"Over my dead body," Link retorted, charging forward. He swung is sword but Zant blocked with one of his daggers. The two pushed against each other for a moment. Then Zant brought his other dagger forward. Link backed away, blocking the blow on his shield.

Zelda wasn't sure how it happened, but Link suddenly dropped to his knees, his shape changing before her very eyes. Soon, he was a wolf. He staggered and fell. Zelda pulled her bow back, pointing a light arrow at Zant, who only gave a vile laugh. "Now, Zelda," he said. "Where is the Twilight Princess?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't tell you anyway," Zelda replied, keeping the arrow pointed at Zant. The tip glowed with light.

"I will give you twenty-four hours to hand over the Twilight Princess," Zant said harshly. He glanced at Link, who was staggering to his wolfy paws. "Choose, wisely, Zelda, or you will never see your Hero again."

Link realized too late what this meant. The Hero jumped at the Twili with a ferocious bark. Zant raised his hand and warped Link away mid-jump. He gave Zelda a pointed look and warped away himself, leaving the Princess of Hyrule and her soldiers in the drenching rain.

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><p><em>Author's note: I'm going to settle into a routine with updating this story since I'm nearly done with writing it. I'll be updating it every Monday and Friday. Also, thanks to <span>RheaTheWingedWhiteWolf<span> and Lovingyourillusion for the great reveiws for the previous chapter. Thanks for reading!_


	4. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: I absolutely loved writing this chapter, and I hope you will love reading it! Enjoy!_

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<br>**As soon a Link formed fully, still in midair, in Norther Faron Woods, he took off running back south, aiming to get back to the castle. He didn't get very far when he heard Zant chasing him down. A bolt of magic struck a tree near him and he flinched, pushing himself faster to escape the villain. He reached the densest part of the forest, purple fog rolling across the ground.

A second bolt of magic flew at the Hero. Link jumped out of the way, but his left forepaw was hit. He stumbled, trying to stop his tumbling down to the poisonous fog. Zant charged at him, ready to kill. Link made a desperate jump up to a tree branch. He dashed from limb to limb, traversing over the fatal fog until he reached a tree in the middle of this dense patch of woods, settling on a thick branch and shivering in his rain-drenched fur.

He didn't know how long he waited, listening to Zant firing bolts of magic into the trees to knock him out. Eventually, he heard the villain warp, but even then the Hero waited, making absolutely sure it was safe to continue. But by that time, his paw was throbbing painfully. He made a slow trip through the rain and the rat-and-keese infested tunnel, only to come out on the other side with the storm passed, and evening rolling in.

He limped along, not really watching where he was going until he heard a gasp. He looked up and saw the Ordon children, plus Ilia, staring at him. Ilia, Beth, and Malo all backed away, while Colin stood his ground. Talo, being who he was, took a step forward toward Link.

"I don't think I've ever seen a wolf in the woods before," the thirteen-year-old boy said.

"Leave it be, Talo," Beth said. "It looks wild." Malo nodded in consent.

"I agree," Colin said, his hand on the sword he always carried with him when he went outside the village. Link backed up. There was no way he would attack the boy; no way he could outrun Colin with a wounded paw if the boy decided to attack.

"Hang on," Ilia said. "He looks injured. See how he's favoring that paw? And he seems friendly." She came closer, holding out her hand. "Hey there. Do you need help?" Link resisted the urge to nod, knowing that normal wolves didn't nod. Instead, he lowered his tail all the way, pricked his ears forward, and gave a short whine, picturing how Midna would laugh if she ever found out about this.

"Ilia, leave it," Malo said. "It could attack."

Ilia ignored him and Link let her pet his head. He waved his tail, showing that he was friendly. Ilia smiled. "He's definitely friendly," she said. "Come on, wolf. I'll take care of your paw." She took a few steps back, and Link followed her, his tail still waving. He and the group of children went back to Ordon.

"Ilia! What're you doing bringing a wolf into the village?" Bo, the mayor and Ilia's father, demanded upon seeing the wolfy Hero.

"Father," Ilia protested as the rest of the children dispersed to their respective homes. "He's tame, I swear. He must have an owner who got lost in that storm. And he's injured."

Bo raised an eyebrow before looking down at Link. "He's got funny lookin' eyes for a wolf," he said. "Fine. He can stay. But he ain't comin' in the house and if he attacks..."

"Oh, thank you, Father!" Ilia hugged him, and motioned for Link to follow. "Come along, Little Wolf," she said.

_Little Wolf?_ Link thought. _Oh, Midna would be laughing at such a demeaning name._ He shook his head and followed Ilia anyway to the porch of her house.

While the girl treated his paw, he looked around at his home, recalling the last time he had been here as a wolf. It had been at the beginning of his journey two years ago, and he had been attacked and called a monster. And still, no one knew that the wolf who had come through was actually Link.

He realized with a start that Ilia had finished tending to his wound and was watching him curiously. He looked at her and she scratched his ear, smiling as he waved his tail again. "I wonder who your owner is," she said, standing up. "Whoever they are, they're lucky to have you."

Link watcher her go inside. He huffed and closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p><em>Link grinned as his feet touched down in the cavern that held the Spirit Spring of Lanayru. Finally! He was done with collecting the Fused Shadows! Now all he had to do was get rid of Zant, and Hyrule would be free once more. He could go back to his home in Ordon. Midna would stop haunting his shadow.<em>

_The thoughts distracted him, and he didn't hear the sound of warping behind him. He turned to walk out of the cavern, only to come face to face with Zant. Link backed up a few steps as the water and vines in the cavern began to glow, and Lanayru himself roared from the water, the light in his mouth just behind Link._

_Zant didn't seem phased. With a shock wave, he knocked Link off his feet and sent the light spirit crashing backwards, fading from sight. Zant waved his hand and Twilight covered Lanayru Province. Link transformed to his wolf form and Midna was forced from his shadow. "Zant!" Midna snapped, attempting to get to her impy feet. But before she could, she was picked up by an invisible force, looking like she was hanging from shackles by her wrists. Zant stepped forward and took the hard-earned Fused Shadows from the imp while she struggled to break free._

_"Did you honestly mean to take an ancient and withered power like this and turn it against me?" Zant asked. The Fused Shadows disappeared. "You are a foolish traitor, Midna. Why do you defy your king?"_

_"My king?" Midna demanded, struggling against her invisible bonds. "You, who do nothing but abuse the magic of your tribe? You must be joking!"_

_"How dare you?" Zant exploded. "Are you implying that my magic is...our old magic? Now that is a joke!" Midna went flying over his head and was thrown onto the ground, a cloud of dust rising up from her impact. Zant turned to face her, an orb of red magic forming in front of him. Midna pushed herself to her knees and looked at him. "This power is granted to me by my god," Zant snarled. "It is the magic of the King of Twilight, and you will respect it!"_

_Link opened his eyes and saw what was going on. He leaped at Zant, but head-butted the orb of magic. For a moment, the wolf floated in midair. Then he went crashing backwards, knocked out. Midna ran to him, trying to pull the now forming Shadow Crystal from his head, but she proved unsuccessful._

_Zant pulled Midna back up by an invisible force, this time holding her facing away from him, her arms held behind her back. "My Midna...did you forget? That beast is one of the light dwellers who oppressed our people. No matter how much you may desire otherwise, you will never be more than a shadow in their world. You cannot consort with their kind!_

_"But if we can make their world ours, Midna...light and darkness will meet at last. Our tribe will take back their realm...and sweet darkness will blot out this harsh light. And that, Midna," Zant said, his tone becoming slier and creepier as he removed the tongue of his mask, revealing his mouth, "is why...I need you." He paused, letting his words soak in. "Not just for me, but for all our people," he continued, his voice growing in a dark passion. "Lend me your power."_

_Midna broke free of his grip, dashing back to Link's side, and the villain gave a creepy smile. "So be it!" Zant exclaimed. "I will return you to the light world you covet!"_

_Zant picked her up by the invisible force once again, flying her out so that she was hanging over the water of the spring. The evil Twili turned to watch. With a motion of his hand, the light spirit Lanayru came out of the water, and light returned to the province once more. Midna hung in the air, trying desperately to escape. But it was no use. Her cry of terror and pain echoed through the cavern..._

Link woke with a start, jumping to his paws and looking around. Where did Zant go? The question raged through his mind. He looked around for the villain, then realized he had only been dreaming. He shook his head, trying to dispel the memory of that terrible day. He settled back down on Ilia's porch, wishing he had Zelda and Midna with him. They would help him. As it was, he was stuck as a wolf until Midna pulled him out of it.

He looked around some more. Judging by the sun, it was noon. He had slept through the night and half the day. He huffed and observed the village. Sera, the shopkeeper, was yelling at her husband, Hanch, about something. Talo and Malo were fishing next to the shop. Rusl was watching his daughter totter around in front of his house, a frown on his face and his sword on his back. Uli, Rusl's wife, came out of the house with Colin. Rusl scooped up his daughter. "I don't like it, Uli," he said. "Why would Bo let a wolf stay here?"

"Ilia says he's tame," Colin put in.

"Colin's right," Uli said. "And besides, the wolf hasn't done anything but sleep since he got here."

"Still." Rusl handed his daughter over to Uli. "All right. I'm off."

"Be safe," Uli said, kissing him. "Tell Telma hi for me."

"I will." The warrior ruffled Colin's hair and started through the village, his hawk-like gaze landing on Link for a moment.

Link watched the man leave the village before plunging into thought for a solution for his predicament. He needed to get back to Midna and Zelda, but his injured paw probably wouldn't get him that far without really getting damaged...not to mention the risk it would be to be moving so slowly when Zant could be looking for him. He doubted the Princesses would hear him if he howled for them.

Wait. Howling. The thought sparked an idea. Epona was still at the castle. What if he called her? Would his friends be able to know to follow the horse as she moved as fast as she could to get to Link?

He stood. It was the only option. With a glance around, he started off toward his house. Jumping up next to his door, he sat and tipped his head back, letting loose the howl. After he finished the song, he waited for a moment, realizing that it would take Epona a while to get here. He jumped down and returned to Ilia's porch, where he settled down for a nap, enjoying the peace while it lasted.

* * *

><p>"Father!" Ilia protested a few hours after Link made his call. Dusk was falling, and Bo was getting tired of the wolf on his porch. "You said he could stay!" She followed her father down from the second floor of their house.<p>

"A day is long enough," Bo said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs and turning to his daughter. "You've tended to his wound, and he's gotten a chance to rest. He could turn vicious once he's feeling better."

"I'm sure he's tame," Ilia repeated. "He's probably got an owner who's looking for him right now."

"He shouldn't be lounging on our porch! If the owner does not come soon, he's going. Got it?"

Ilia sighed. "Yes, Father."

Bo turned to head to the back room of the house where his sumo ring was but stopped as a loud barking from outside sounded. He looked at Ilia, annoyed, before going outside. Ilia followed. But neither expected the sight that they saw.

The wolf was greeting a strange woman enthusiastically, his tail waving happily. The woman was taller than any other person Ilia had seen. She had bright orange hair, and darker orange eyes. She had a regal look on her face, but her smile was bright as she greeted the wolf.

Ilia stepped forward. "Are you the wolf's owner?" she asked.

The woman traded glances with the wolf before facing Ilia and Bo. "Yes. He and I are new to Hyrule. We got a bit lost in the woods."

"New to Hyrule, eh?" Bo asked. The woman nodded as the wolf sat obediently by her feet, his tail still waving happily. "What brings you from your other country?"

"Well, one of our people – a criminal – went missing the other day. We – my friend here and I – were commissioned by the Princess of our land to track him down. He's caused some trouble in Hyrule before, so we wanted to stop him before things got out of control." She smiled again. "I'm glad you took care of my wolf for me. He's a good companion, clever and brave." The wolf looked up a her, an expression deep in his blue eyes.

"It was no trouble," Ilia said, while her father grumbled.

"Thank you." The woman looked down at the wolf. "Come, my friend. We have a deadline." The wolf stood, and the two walked out of the village. Bo grumbled again and went back inside, but Ilia ran off, climbing a tree to a certain spot where she could see both the village and the clearing around Link's house. The woman and the wolf had stopped, and the woman looked injured. She rubbed her side while the wolf whined.

"I'm fine, Link," the woman said. Ilia nearly fell out of the tree. Did the woman just call her pet wolf Link?

The wolf whined again, looking pointedly at his companion.

"Right. Sorry. I'm so used to you being a wolf." She knelt down and placed a hand on the wolf's forehead. Amazingly, the wolf changed shape until he resembled Link. Ilia couldn't believe her eyes. Was this really Link?

"Thanks, Midna," Link said, grinning. "I forgot what it's like to be a wolf." He stood and went over to Epona, who had mysteriously arrived. This would be the real test, Ilia knew. Would the mare reject this man who looked like Link, or would she accept him? If the latter, well...Link could really turn into a wolf.

"If it wasn't for Epona, we would still be looking for you," Midna said as Epona snuffled at Link's hands with acceptance.

"I'm glad my idea worked. I was starting to wonder how I would get along with a wounded paw." He showed her his left hand.

"Zant did that?"

"Yes. The jerk. If I hadn't hidden in the trees I would be dead."

"Smart." Midna rubbed her side again. "Well. Let's get going. We have half an hour before Zelda's twenty-four hours are up. Perhaps we could trick Zant back into the Twilight Realm and I could hunt him down personally."

Link laughed. Ilia was sure it was him now.

"Let me just grab something from the house really quick and we can get going." He went inside, while Midna waited outside next to Epona, looking around the clearing. After a moment, Link came back out carrying a small black bag with strange green runes.

"Ah, the infamous bag that has no bottom," Midna said as Link climbed down the ladder, grinning.

"I wouldn't go on any adventure without it," Link replied, attaching the bag to his belt. "Besides, it was a great present."

"My present to you after that damp Lakebed Temple, for helping me out and for your birthday." Midna shuddered, then gave a grin. "You got chewed on on your birthday."

"And I kicked Morpheel's butt good and hard for it." Link gave Epona a rub before turning to his companion. "We need to get the Master Sword...then we can tell Zelda our masterful plan."

Midna nodded, and without warning, she and Link dissolved into black squares.

Ilia sighed before climbing down from the tree. Her friend had so many secrets...it felt like she barely even knew him.

She shook her head and went back to her house, contemplating all that she had seen.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Zelda paced anxiously around the throne room of Hyrule Castle. There was nothing more stressful than having to meet with an enemy and lying to him, knowing that he could attack if he found out the truth. But what was more, she didn't know what she would tell him, because she sure wasn't going to tell him the truth.

She turned at the sound of warping, only to find that Midna had returned with Link in tow. "Oh good, you found him," Zelda said.

Midna nodded. "He was being a lazy wolf," she said teasingly.

"Lazy?" Link protested. He held the Master Sword sheathed in one hand. The other was bandaged.

"Link, what happened to your hand?" Zelda asked.

"That was Zant," he replied dismissively. "It's nothing. Midna and I have a plan to deal with him, though."

Midna nodded. "We can trick him back into going back to the Twilight Realm."

"How?" Zelda asked.

"Tell him that I told you I was heading back there to trap him out here in the light. I know he'll go for that. After he leaves, Link and I can follow him in, and stop him from coming back out. Then we'll hunt him down. I know he won't hurt any of the Twili, so he won't be too much of a pain there."

"Only one thing: I want to come with you. And before you protest, let me tell you why. Hyrule should be much more protected than last time – the soldiers are braver, and Zant won't be able to do anything if he's trapped in the Twilight Realm."

"Still, it might not be the best idea for you to leave Hyrule."

"You left the Twilight Realm. And you also helped Hyrule. It's my turn to help you."

Midna sighed. But before she could come up with an argument, a guard entered the room. "Your highness, he's here."

Zelda nodded. "Tell him he will meet me here in a peaceful diplomatic meeting, but he must leave any weapons and monsters in the courtyard. Otherwise, I will not give him the information he wants." The guard nodded and left the room.

"Zelda, just out of curiosity, can you fight with the sword?" Midna asked. Zelda nodded. "Then I'm sure Link can lend you his Ordon sword, since we'll probably be leaving as soon as Zant does."

"Of course," Link said. He grinned.

"Good," Zelda said, walking over to the throne and picking up the book she had left there. "But you two better hide. Otherwise, our ruse might not work."

Midna jumped into Link's shadow and the Hero went to hide behind the throne itself. Zelda sat down and opened the book, but couldn't get any of the words to soak in. After a minute or so, the guard returned, the villain following. Zelda looked up, hoping she wouldn't give away the ruse.

"Well?" Zant demanded. "What's your information?"

"You just missed her," Zelda said closing the book. "She came by and told me she was heading back to the Twilight Realm. She figures she'll trap you out here so you can't get to her."

Zant seemed to fume. "You lie!"

"No. That's what she told me. If you don't believe me, go see for yourself. She's going to break the Mirror of Twilight any minute now."

Zant turned on his heel, marching out of the throne room. Zelda shook her head before addressing the guard. "Contact Eric. Tell him to watch the kingdom for me while my friends and I go stop Zant."

The guard nodded. Midna and Link came out from behind the throne. "Let's go," Midna said. She warped Link and Zelda to the Mirror Chamber all the way in the Gerudo Desert.

"How do we know if Zant's gone through already?" Link asked.

Midna shrugged. Then, without warning, she grabbed her companions' shoulders, pulling them into a shadow. Link suddenly felt the urge to transform, but Midna's hand on his shoulder seemed to be keeping him from doing so.

After a second or two, Zant warped into the Mirror Chamber. He marched up to the Mirror and looked at it carefully. Link wished the villain would just go in. Being in a shadow was definitely not the best thing. Every moment he spent here made it harder and harder to resist the transformation, despite Midna's help in stopping it. Zant looked around the round stadium-like chamber before stepping onto the glowing rectangle and activating the stairs. He walked up them, his metal shoes clanking. After a moment, he warped.

Midna pulled Link and Zelda back out of the shadow, and immediately Link transformed, giving a small whine, the Triforce on his paw glowing.

"Sorry," the Twilight Princess said. "I didn't think you'd react like that." Link rolled his eyes at her and she transformed him back to his Hylian form. Link shook his head.

"Never again," he said wearily, pulling his Ordon sword from his bottomless bag. Midna laughed at him as handed the sheathed sword to Zelda. The three of them faced the black rock that was the portal into the Twilight Realm.

* * *

><p>Link looked around as he formed fully. It had been a while since he had been here. Memories of the trials he had faced came to mind and he frowned. This was where he had fought Zant last time, in the great Twilight Palace ahead of him and Zelda. But it was more than that. Fighting an insane Zant was one thing, running from giant hands that had the ability to squash the Hero into a pulp because he stole a glowing orb was completely different. His reward, however, for doing that was putting light into the Master Sword, making it even more powerful than it already was.<p>

"What the-?" Midna's lilting voice brought him out of his thoughts, along with the shattering of the Mirror of Twilight. "What the heck did Zant do?"

Link followed his friend's gaze and saw that the Palace of Twilight was cut off from the rest of the Twili land, floating in the abyss.

"Couldn't you just warp over there?" Link asked.

After a moment, the Twilight Princess shook her head. "He's blocked it off somehow. There's an invisible barrier that seems like it'll only let him through."

"So we can't get at him at all?" Zelda asked.

Midna shook her head. "Unless there was a way to break the barrier. And I doubt the Fused Shadows would help."

The three friends looked around. Midna sighed. "Let's think on this for a bit. For now, we could head to the village and find out what damage has been done so far."

The two Hylians followed the Twili into the nearby village, which Midna called the Palace Village. Several Twili gave Link and Zelda odd looks, all while bowing or curtsying respectively to Midna. One Twili woman, however, walked up to the Twilight Princess, a teasing look in her eyes.

"Well, look who's alive," the woman said. She was tall like the rest of the Twili, but her hair and eyes almost matched Midna's. She wore an elegant green dress, the same green that was the color of the Twili Crest.

"Of course I'm alive," Midna replied. She grinned and the two embraced. After a moment, Midna let go, nodding at Link and Zelda. "These are my friends from the world of light...the ones I told you about. Link, Zelda, this is my mother, Marietta."

The Twili woman nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you both. Midna has told me so much about you."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, too," Zelda and Link said at the same time.

Marietta smiled. "Come, all of you. It's getting to be the time of dark Twilight. You need somewhere to stay." The two Hylians followed the Twili through the streets.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's the time of dark Twilight?" Zelda wondered.

"The Twilight Realm's equivalent of Hyrule's nighttime," Midna replied, grinning at her friends.

"So that means it never really dark here?" Link asked.

"Yes," Marietta answered. After a moment, she looked at her daughter. "_Svo er p'etta eitt sem p'uu elskar?_" she said in another language. "_Hann er myndarlegur._"

"Mother!" Midna protested in Hylian.

"It's the truth," Marietta stated as they turned down one of the streets in the Palace Village.

Midna rolled her eyes. For a moment, the group walked silently through the streets until Zelda asked about the Twili politics. Link gave an inward sigh. If anything, politics bored him to no end. But as Midna and Marietta began explaining, he found interest in it after all. According to the two Twili, the crown passed to the firstborn child of the royal family, which, up to Midna, had usually been a male. That had been the beginning of Zant's disagreement, for Zant had been Midna's cousin on her father's side. Never had there been a female heir to the Twilight throne before, and Zant had expected the crown to pass to him.

When Midna's father had died three years ago, Midna had taken up the responsibility of ruling her people, and Marietta, though she had been the King's wife, moved back to the Palace Village, luckily avoiding all the insanity brought with Zant. Midna retained the title "Princess," and would keep it until she married, when it would change to "Queen." This last bit made Link think once more on his hope that she would see him as more than just a friend. But the chances of that were slim.

By the time the two were finished, they had arrived at Marietta's home. She let them in, saying, "Make yourselves at home. I'll have something to eat very soon. Midna, dear, could you show them their rooms?"

"Sure," Midna replied. She motioned to her friends and they followed her.

* * *

><p>"So, Mother, what do you know about that barrier around the Twilight Palace?" Midna asked after dinner.<p>

"You want to get by and stop Zant again, don't you?" Marietta asked, looking at the three of them. They nodded. Marietta sighed. "He's thrown some sort of barrier that only allows him and any of his chosen buddies through via warping. It's invulnerable to Twili magic, which makes me wonder how he put it up in the first place."

"That's what I came up with," Midna said with a nod. "But how do we take it down?"

"Zant used another force to create it. Though the barrier is resistant to Twili magic, there are those hybrid orbs that may be able to break it down. If not, perhaps a bit of light will help." The Twili looked at Zelda and Link.

"What are these orbs?" Link asked.

"Three orbs, in three corners of the Twilight Realm," Midna replied. "Like the sols, except these are the only proof that light and shadow can mix. They're a combination of the two and very dangerous if in the wrong hands. They are each located in a separate temple, though they are more complex than anything we faced in Hyrule."

"So it's temple-crawling time?"

Midna nodded. "With Zant's influence over the past years, I wouldn't be surprised if there were monsters waiting for us there as well."

Link sighed, fiddling with his gloves. He had enough temple-crawling to last a life time, and yet here he was faced with an even more of it.

"It takes about two days' ride to the first temple, and that's about as fast as you can get," Marietta said. "There's no warping near those temples, as an added measure of safety. From there, each temple is as least a day's ride apart from the others."

The four of them sat in silence. Midna studied Link, noting that, despite his reluctance to go temple-crawling some more, he looked ready to get going and surpass the new challenges. She smiled to herself. That was the Hero she knew.

"We should leave first thing tomorrow, then," Link said finally, an eager glint in his fathomless blue eyes.

"I agree," Zelda said. "We should get to sleep early."

Midna and Link nodded as Marietta stood up from the table, clearing away everyone's dishes. They all bid each other a good night – or good sleep, as the Twili said – and went to their respective rooms.

When Link reached his room, he pulled off his hat and belt and, not bothering to change from his Hero's tunic, he laid down on the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

><p><em>The light glowed brightly over the Hyrule Field, dimming the stars and the silhouette of the castle. As the orb of brightness dimmed, Link and Midna formed in mid-air, both of them knocked out. Midna clung desperately to Link's soft fur. They floated slowly to the ground. Link got wearily to his paws, shaking his head. He opened his blue eyes, and realized that, despite the fact that Twilight no longer covered the land, he was in wolf form. He looked down at his paws, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming.<em>

_After a moment or two, he heard desperate, labored breathing. He looked back and saw Midna collapsed on his back, completely discolored and looking like she was on the verge of death. He gave a small whine, but she didn't reply. She only gripped his fur tighter with her imp fingers._

_The voice of Lanayru floated toward the Hero and imp. "Link, Hero chosen by the goddesses..." Link looked up to where he supposed the spirit was. "Go to the Princess locked away in the castle. That Princess holds the key that can unlock you from your shadow form..."_

_Link gave a small nod and took off running toward Castle Town. _Hang on, Midna!_ he thought desperately, as rain began to pelt down, drenching him and his imp companion. What little strength the cursed Twili had, she used to hold on tightly...and it was all Link could do to move as fast as he could to get Midna help..._

"Link! Wake up!"

Link jolted awake, bolting upright. He looked around and saw Midna and Zelda looking at him with concern.

"Are you all right?" the Twilight Princess asked. "You looked like you were being attacked by something." She gave a wry grin.

Link shrugged, rubbing his face and finding it wet with tears. "Just a bad dream."

"About what?" Zelda asked.

"I'd rather not revisit it," Link said, shaking his head. "Goddesses, it was bad enough I had to go through it once, now I'm dreaming of it."

"Dreaming of what?" Midna asked. Link looked at her.

"After the Lakebed Temple," he said. "That desperate hour."

Midna frowned. It wasn't a good memory for her either. She sighed.

"What time is it?" Link asked, rubbing his face again.

"Middle of dark Twilight," Midna replied, glad for the change of subject. "You...kind of woke us up. Except Mother. She can sleep through anything."

"Sorry," Link muttered.

"It's okay, Link," Zelda assured him. The Hero sighed, feeling sad and very reluctant to fall asleep again. "Here," the Princess said, sitting next to him on the bed. "I might be able to help you sleep well, at least for tonight."

"Go right ahead, Princess," Link told her. Zelda gently placed her hands on either side of his head, muttering something. After a moment, she let go.

"There. You'll have a peaceful sleep."

Link nodded, feeling tired. Zelda's small spell was working. "You both should go back to bed. I'll be fine."

The Princesses nodded and left the room. Link laid back, sleep pulling him under once more.

* * *

><p><em>Author's note: Why is Link having these dreams? Well...you'll just have to wait to find out. Thanks to ChairmanMeow192, bob115, and PhantomGirl12 for the great reviews on the last chapter!<em>

_Before I go...I made up my own Twili language! That's what Marietta was speaking. Here's the translation: "So this is the one you love? He is handsome."_

_Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! Please, continue to review!_

**_Edit 9/11/12: I've updated this chapter. It no longer has embarrassing typos and all that stuff one doesn't want in a fanfic. I hope it's a better read than it was before!_**


	6. Chapter 5

_Author's note: Thanks to bob115, Topaz Skye, PhantomGirl12, demon, emmax1991, and Llwynog the Bard for the great reviews. I...I feel so special. ^_^ Anyway, to answer Llwynog the Bard's reveiw, all it takes for my Twili language to come into being is a bit of Google Translate and some tweaking. I won't tell you what language though. That's a secret! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for reading. Please, continue to review! ~TwiliRupee_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five<br>**"I've heard of riding twilit kargarocs, but this is just crazy," Link said the next morning.

"Now you know how I felt when I first saw that horse of yours," Midna replied.

"This isn't a horse," Link protested. "This is a...bird."

The creature in question was a large, supposedly flightless bird, its feathers the dark purple like most of the Twilit creatures around the Twilight Realm. It had beady red eyes and a sharp yellow beak, along with a plume of feathers that ran from between its eyes to the base of its neck, and another plume that looked like the tail of a horse. Midna called them hestur fulgar, and she claimed they were just like horses.

"Link, 'fulga' means 'bird.' Obviously, they're birds."

The hestur fulga nearest to Link looked at him out of the corner of its eye and gave a squawk. Link took a step back. The bird seemed to laugh at him.

"See?" Midna said. "He likes you."

"Are you sure?" Link asked. "I might just walk."

Midna laughed. "They won't hurt you. Trust me. They're about as harmless as a blade of grass."

Link rolled his eyes. He and Midna turned to see Zelda and Marietta coming out of the former Twilight Queen's house. Zelda had changed from her dress to a more traveling-friendly outfit consisting of a black pair of tight-fitting pants, and a black shirt with the Twili runes on it. The Ordon sword hung from her waist. She caught Link's gaze and grinned. "What? Haven't you ever seen a princess dressed like a warrior before?" she asked.

Link looked away, his gaze landing on Midna, who burst out laughing at him. He sighed and fiddled with his gloves.

"You should start off now," Marietta said, handing Midna a pack with supplies. "The sooner your mission is over, the better for both the Twilight Realm and Hyrule." The Twili smiled. "Now go."

The three friends nodded. Minda quickly explained how to ride the hestur fulgar. Then the tree mounted. Spurring the birds on, the Princesses and the Hero rode out of the Palace Village.

Once they were traveling at a steady pace, they decided to tell stories to pass the time. They told legends and tales of travel of Link and Midna's journey two years ago.

The day passed slowly, with no major events. Finally, it was time to stop for the dark Twilight. They quickly set up camp, eating a quiet supper. They were all tired, but Link decided he would take first watch. They settled down around the small campfire Link had built. Zelda fell asleep almost instantly, but Midna stayed awake, watching Link from her place by the fire.

"You're worried that you'll dream of that desperate hour, aren't you?" she asked him.

"Yeah...I guess." Link fingered the hilt of the Master Sword, sighing. He looked up at Midna. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." The Twili moved over closer to the Hero so they wouldn't have to talk across the fire.

"When you left, two years ago, and broke the Mirror, you were about to tell me something. What was it?"

Midna hesitated. _He asks this now?_ she thought, staring into the fire. He was asking her to tell him of her darkest secret, which she told only to her mother.

"I mean, if it was just 'I will miss you,' I can understand that," Link continued. "But it seemed more serious than that."

"It was," Midna said, still avoiding looking at him. She could feel herself blushing. She sighed, deciding that it would be now or never. She had to tell him. She looked at him, at his deep blue eyes, his gentle smile. "I was going to say that...I love you." She looked away again, speaking quickly now. "I didn't say that, of course. It would have changed everything. And besides, we're from completely different dimensions, and, as everyone always says, light and shadow can't mix. It just wouldn't have...Why are you laughing?" She looked back at her friend. "Don't laugh! I'm pouring my heart and soul out to you!"

Link shook his head. "Oh, Midna," he said.

"What? Tell me why you're laughing!"

Link shook his head, his grin broad. "I..." He stopped, then he pulled her close, pressing his lips against hers. Midna slipped her arms around him and accepted his spontaneous gesture. _Great goddesses! It's finally happening!_ she thought, closing her eyes, her world melting into the kiss.

After a moment, they let each other go. Link ducked his head in embarrassment. "I hope that was the answer to your problem," he said in a quiet voice.

Midna grinned. "Oh, don't worry. It was." She gave a small laugh. "Actually, that's what Mother was asking me yesterday. I had told her about my...unrequited love."

"Unrequited love?"

"Yes."

"I don't think it can be unrequited until you try to show it."

"Oh, I did. Trust me."

Link shook his head. He stifled a yawn. "Well, now you have it. Are you happy?"

"Very much so, my Hero." She noticed his tired look. "You should go to sleep. I'll keep watch."

Link sighed. Midna drew him close again. "Don't worry. They're just dreams."

"Yeah, I know."

She kissed him. "Go to sleep." She let him go and he laid down. Midna smiled, watching him. She sighed and stared into the fire once more.

* * *

><p><em>Link panted, standing in water that went over his paws, Midna still clinging desperately to his back. He had tried to get into the passages that would lead to the castle, but the people in the bar had thrown him and Midna out. Luckily, the imp had managed to hold on. She had a strong grip for one who was on the brink of death.<em>

_He didn't know what to do. Rain poured down from the sky, and he wasn't any closer to getting Midna help, since this entrance and the main entrance to the castle were both closed off._

_Suddenly, he heard someone call him. "You there!" He looked around. Above a stack of crates, a set of door opened up. A white cat, Telma's cat, jumped down into the water. She turned to face Link. "You're Link, correct?" she asked, her green eyes slitted against the pelting rain. The water went up to her belly, and Link marveled that she didn't mind. The cat walked up to him and gave him a sniff. "Mmm, yes, I thought so. I could just tell, you know?" She took a few steps to the left, and Link followed her with his gaze. "I'm Louise," the cat stated. "Do you remember meeting me in this shop before? I don't think we were properly introduced. In any case, I must tell you I'm a bit puzzled as to why you look like that. Really, dear, you can't blame the humans for tossing you out, the way you look."_

_Louise seemed to notice Midna for the first time. "Oh...another patient? You certainly are a curious sort."_

_"...Plea...Please..." Midna stammered, her voice incredibly weak. "Princess...Z-Zelda..." Link felt a pang of concern for his friend. She couldn't die! She just couldn't!_

_Louise looked away, thinking. Then she trotted through the water. "This way!" the white cat said, motioning with her tail to the doors she had come out of. "Here, get in through the window. The attic connects to the castle's waterway. It's an old waterway, though...so it could be a rough trip. Well...I supposed all that's left to do is make sure that the humans don't notice you." Louise dashed out of the rain. Link trotted forward, trying to figure out how he would get up to the window._

_"Link..." Midna said, her voice growing weaker. "Hurry..."_

Link bolted upright, swearing and startling his companions.

"Link, are you okay?" Zelda questioned.

"Was it the dream?" Midna asked.

Link looked around, still stunned by his surroundings on a field deep in the Twilight Realm. He took a deep shaky breath. "Yeah. The same dream." He pulled his knees up to his chest, rubbing away the tears in his eyes. Midna handed him a bit of breakfast. "We have to start off soon," she said, sitting next to him. He looked into her eyes, noticing the love there that he hadn't seen before last night.

Midna smiled at him, and stood, going over to check on the three hestur fulgar, who were tethered several yards away, pecking at the ground. Link watched her. Such grace. Such beauty.

"I wonder why you're having those dreams," Zelda spoke up, bringing Link's attention back to the small camp.

"I don't know. Each dream is different, but they're all sequenced in order, starting from when I finished the Lakebed Temple, and moving on from there. Though, it hasn't reached where I come bursting into your room yet." He gave her a weary smile.

"Ah, yes," Zelda said, nodding. "You looked absolutely devastated when you came in."

"I was." Link sighed, quickly eating his breakfast. Once he was done, he helped the Princesses break camp. They started off once more, riding swiftly across the plains of the Twilight Realm.

* * *

><p>Zant swore violently in the Twili's language. He was standing where, once, one could warp into the world of light. But now that was impossible. Swearing curses at Midna, he thought that maybe the Hylian Princess had been lying to him. Midna hadn't wanted to lock him out of the Twilight Realm, she had wanted to lock him in!<p>

Fury built up inside him, and he let lose several large bolts of magic, swearing heavily.

Breathing hard, he warped back inside his barrier, storming into the Palace of Twilight. One of his followers scurried out of the way, but Zant caught him. "Find that fool Dredloc," Zant demanded. "Now!" He threw the follower down on the ground.

The frightened Twili scampered off and Zant marched toward the throne room. He sat down on the throne, still muttering curses against his foe. Midna just had to interfere! Always. First it was his chance at the throne, then it was stopping his control over the Twilight Realm, and now this! Locking him here in the Twilight Realm!

After a moment of growling in frustration, Zant heard the door open. A Twili, dressed completely in black with a hood covering his face entered. When he got to Zant, he got down on his knees. "You sent for me, my lord?" the Twili asked.

"Search around the Palace Village, Dredloc," Zant said. "See if the girl who calls herself the Twilight Princess has been there, or is there now. If so and she left, find where she went and track her down. If you must, kill her and any companions she brings with her. Otherwise, alert me and I will finish her off myself!"

"Your wish is my command, my lord," Dredloc announced. He stood and left the room.

"There will be nowhere left to hide, Midna," Zant muttered. "Nowhere!"

* * *

><p>"Would you look at that!" Link said. A large building rose out from the plain. It seemed to be a mix of Hylian and Twili architecture, both the black and light gray stone shining out as dark Twilight drew closer.<p>

"It looks more Hylian than anything else we've seen," Zelda added.

"It is," Midna replied. "According to the stories, these three temples were the first buildings created by the banished Twili. They were trying to come up with a style of their own, trying to reject the style of the Hylians. Each has a different elemental theme."

"You mean like forest, fire, and water?" Link asked.

"In a sense, yes. One's wind, one's shadow, and one's fire."

Link studied the building from where they rode. "How can you tell what element that one is?" Zelda asked, beating him to the question.

"That's shadow. If anything, it'll be most like the Twilight Palace two years ago. Minus the sols and those creepy hands."

"Oh, fun," Link muttered. Then he grinned. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p><em>Author's note: Hestur fulga = horse bird; Hestur fulga<strong>r<strong>= horse bird**s**._

_Oh, I forgot to say at the top - or rather I'm to lazy to go and edit that up there - that I'm changing my updating schedule for this story. You now get a new chapter every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday! I want to get this story up and its sequel is burning to be written. So come back on Wednesday for the next chapter! Don't forget to tell me what you think in a reveiw!_


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six  
><strong>Dredloc had determined from the start that the Twilight Princess and two Hylians had been in the Palace Village. The first Twili he had asked told him so. That was the easy part.

What was harder was trying to find out where they went. Several more Twili had told him that the Twilight Princess and her companions left at first light Twilight on hestur fulgar. No one knew where they were going.

It was frustrating.

All day he spent interrogating the Twili of the Palace Village, but he found no luck.

Finally, near the end of the day, he heard something interesting. He hid in the shadows, listening hard.

"Madam, some Twili man is asking around after your daughter." This voice, Dredloc knew, belonged to some peasant.

"Who?" The voice was elegant. Obviously this woman had been in the court for a while. Not only that, but it seemed that this was the Twilight Princess' mother. He strained to hear even more.

"I don't know, my lady. Some man dressed in black. He probably works for Zant."

"Has anyone told him anything?"

"No. They've followed your request. No one opposing the Twilight Princess knows she went west." Dredloc felt a surge of triumph. That's where she went. But he quelled his emotions, listening in on the conversation.

"Good."

"My lady, we should strengthen the guard near your house. He could come for you."

"You think he can get me?"

"Perhaps. He may be skilled in magic." There was a pause. "Though, perhaps not as skilled as you are."

"I will agree with your suggestion, however. There may be a need for more guards."

"I shall see to it right away, my lady."

Dredloc heard the two part, and the lady herself walked by him. She stopped, a suspicious look on her face. With a wave of her hand in his direction, the shadows thew him out. He landed flat on his face. As he struggled to get up, he felt a dagger against his throat. He looked up and saw the Twili woman glaring at him. "So you're the one?" she asked, a snarl in her voice. The Twili she had been talking to ran up, a sword in his hand.

"And proud of it," Dredloc spat.

"Might I make a suggestion? Leave my daughter and her friends alone."

"I don't follow your orders!"

"Oh?" The dagger at Dredloc's throat pressed tighter. "Then perhaps you don't want to live any longer. Face it, fool, you're out of the game."

Dredloc gave a harsh laugh. "You've already lost, lady." Calling on his powers, he warped away, reappearing at the western edge of the Palace Village. If there was any skill that he prided himself on, it was tracking. He studied the road. There! Tracks of three hestur fulgar heading toward the lesser used road that led to the three temples. Why would they go there?

It didn't matter. He found them. He was going to hunt them down.

* * *

><p>The three companions approached the entrance to the Temple of Shadow the next morning, only to realized it was sealed shut.<p>

"How are we going to get in?" Link asked, attempting to rub the exhaustion from his face. He had kept watch most of the dark Twilight, for fear of dreaming again. Luckily, when Midna did kick him off watch, he was so tired he hadn't be able to dream. But now he was regretting getting such little sleep. He wearily watched Midna study the door and sighed.

"Patience, my Hero," Midna said. "There's a way in."

Link sighed, but couldn't help but grin at Midna's new nickname for him. She seemed to have taken to calling him that since they kissed. And the more she did, the more Zelda caught on that something had changed between the two of them.

While the Princesses studied the door, Link sat down, leaning his back against the wall of the temple, listening to their suggestions on how to get through.

"It looks like we need some sort of key," Zelda said. "See? There's a key hole."

"Yeah," Midna agreed. "So where to we get a key?"

"Perhaps the inscriptions on the door can tell us."

Midna nodded. "They say:_ Ye who stands over all shadows shall turn the key to unlock our secrets._"

The two Princesses were quiet. Link looked up at them. "Well, that was helpful," he teased.

"I don't see you being any more helpful," Midna teased back. Link rolled his eyes and the Princesses continued to decipher the puzzle.

Link looked up at the tower, which was slightly difficult from the angle he sat at. He noticed something...a nail sticking out of the wall, just above his head. He turned, kneeling on the grass. It looked like the kind of nail that had only one purpose. It would hold something, like a key. He studied the grass below the nail, parting the tall plants. A glint of black metal caught his eyes and he plucked it from the grass. It was the key.

"Found it," Link announced. Midna and Zelda turned.

"Where was it?" Midna asked as Link stood triumphantly. He pointed toward the grass.

"Well, let's go inside, then," Zelda said. Link went over to the door, putting the key in to the lock. He turned it. There was no click or anything. He pushed against the door, but it didn't budge. His triumph started to fade.

"Hang on," Zelda said. "Let Midna try."

"What difference would it make?" Midna asked.

"_Ye who stands over all shadows,_" Zelda quoted. "I just figured it out. Only the true ruler of the shadows can open it...the shadows being Twili."

Link stepped back, handing the key to Midna. She slipped the key back into the lock, and turned it. Runes lit up in green on the door, forming the Twili Crest. With a click, the door opened down the middle, swinging inward. A dark corridor was revealed, and small torches with green flames inside lit the passage, casting eerie glows on a black wall that was laced with inscriptions.

Link stepped in first, his hand on his sword. Midna and Zelda followed suit. They walked only a few paces in when the door slammed shut behind them, throwing them into the darkness.

"Just like old times," Link said.

"Unfortunately," Midna replied. She studied the inscription covered wall, running a hand over the runes etched onto it.

"What does it say?" Zelda asked.

"It's the story of the the Twili's banishment here," Midna replied. She pointed to the top right of the wall, translating the tale for her friends. "There was a great tribe of shadow magicians, known as the Twili, who lived in peace in the great land of Hyrule. Humble though they were, they sought to increase their magical abilities. They practiced their skills, and grew powerful, eventually gaining control over the shadows. They became the greatest magic users of all Hyrule.

"When their chief died, a new chief was chosen. He was not satisfied with the great power they already possessed, and sought more. He heard of a greater power still, the golden power known as the Triforce, which was broken into three parts – Wisdom, Courage, and Power. He had seen it in action: its bearers surpassed what any of his tribesmen could do. And he craved it. He hunted down the bearers, trying to steal the golden power from them, and nearly succeeded in doing so, causing turmoil to erupt in Hyrule.

"The chief succeeded in taking, by force, Courage and Power, but Wisdom eluded him, until he finally found her. The bearer of Wisdom, as she fell to the chief's dark magic, called out to the goddesses, pleading for aid. The goddesses complied and stripped the Twili chief of his magic. As punishment, they banished not only him, but his entire tribe, from the blessed land of Hyrule, to dwell in a new land of half-light that came to be called the Twilight Realm.

"But that was not the end of that chief's misery. His people, infuriated with the punishment he had gotten them, revolted and killed him. They elected a new leader to bring them into peace, a Twili woman who had not only great skill in magic, but a wise and calm temper. She disposed of the title chieftess, deciding that, because the Twili had their own land, a kingdom, she would rule over them as Queen of the Twilight. Her people agreed, and built the three temples as a symbol of their fresh start in a new land."

Midna dropped her hand from the inscription, staring at the last few runes carved into the wall. She and her friends were silent, listening to the soft crackle of the torches in the corridors. Finally, the Twilight Princess spoke up. "Well, there you have it," she said softly, looking at her friends. "That's the history of my people." She sighed. "Believe me, we all despise that horrid chief, but in a way, we are grateful as well."

"Why?" Link asked.

"We've come to love the Twilight Realm. It's beautifully peaceful. We don't care that we're banished still. We only care that our peace remains whole." She sighed again. "We should get going. Who knows what we'll find in here."

They started off, winding their way through the passage until they reached a door. Link opened it and they stepped into the room. A set of stairs spiraled up to their right, but there was a grate in front of it. Link, hand on his sword, stepped forward toward the center of the room while Zelda and Midna stayed by the door. They knew there was an enemy around here somewhere.

There was a loud clank behind him. He turned and backed away. A giant armored monster with a huge sword to match, like the iron knuckles he had fought before, glared at him with beady eyes. It grunted and swung its sword at Link.

The Hero drew his sword, meeting the gigantic blade with his own. But the force of the monster's swing sent him tumbling across the room. He slid to a stop, a glare on his face. "A tough one, are you?" Link asked. He raised the Master Sword, which glowed from the power of the sols he and Midna had collected two years ago. "Come get some."

The monster roared in reply, charging at Link. He jumped to the side, rolled, and came out of the roll with a jump, spinning in midair. Some of the monster's armor came off. It bellowed and swung its sword at Link again. He ducked, and the gigantic sword crashed into the stone wall. Link jumped around the monster again, slicing off more armor, revealing glowing diamond embedded in the monster's skin on its back. Link saw it, backing off as the monster swung its sword angrily.

"Zelda, when you get a chance, shoot that thing on its back with a light arrow. Midna, help me distract it so Zelda can have a clear shot."

The Princesses nodded. Midna ran to Link's side. "Hey, you!" she taunted. The monster grunted at her, swinging its sword at her. She jumped out of the way. "Yeah, you, ugly! Come and catch me!"

The monster roared and swung its sword again. It charged, facing away from Zelda. Suddenly, it changed direction, going after Link instead. Link jumped out of the way, dodging the massive feet. He and Midna got its attention, trying to get it to follow them and keep its back to Zelda. There was a flash of light and the monster fell, dead. The grate blocking the stairs dropped as the monster's remains burst into dust.

Link grinned. "We three make a good team," he said, laughing.

"Yes we do, my Hero," Midna said, smiling with him. "Yes we do."

Zelda walked over to there her friends stood. She noticed a piece of parchment left over from the monster's remains She picked it up. "It's a map," she said. "A map of this place." Link and Midna peered at the paper with her.

Zelda studied the map closer. "There's four floors, one is the entrance, one is this one, one is made up of a staircase, and then the top floor, where, I'm assuming, the orb is."

"Well? What are we waiting for?" Link asked with a wide grin.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks to bob115, ThatSwedishGuy, and emmax1991 for the great reveiws on the previous chapter. Also, I apologize for the badly written temple. I'm bad at writing those... So yeah, thanks for reading and please, keep on reviewing! ~TwiliRupee<em>


	8. Chapter 7

_Author's note: I apologize ahead of time for the shortness of this chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven<br>**It wasn't as easy as they thought it would be. The stairs were not very wide, and twilit Keese were abundant. Link and Zelda shot at them with their bows, but it still took them longer than they thought it would.

When they reached the top floor, a stone door slid closed over the stairs, preventing them from leaving.

"This can't be good," Midna muttered, looking around. They moved together toward the center of the room, looking around for their prize. Instead, they got an ear-splitting shriek, paralyzing them for a moment. Then the largest shadow beast any of them had ever seen dropped down, shrieking again. It swiped at them with its hand. Zelda and Midna ducked, but Link was sent flying once more. He crashed against a wall and fell to the floor, unmoving.

"Link!" Midna called desperately. The shadow beast turned to her and raised a hand to swat at her next. She fired several powerful bolts of magic, but it didn't seem to phase the monster. It swatted at her, and she tumbled through the air, stopping herself just in time before she slammed into the wall.

Zelda began firing arrows at the monster, but that didn't stop it either. Midna frowned. How did one defeat a monster that was impervious to both light and Twili magic?

Link answered that question. He staggered to his feet, his teeth grit in pain. Midna watched him. He pressed a hand to his side, glaring at the shadow beast whose futile attempts to swat Zelda made it angrier and angrier.

Link picked up the Master Sword and took a running leap, landing on the back of the monster. It flailed around, trying to get Link of its back. Link ran up to it's head, amazingly keeping his balance. He jammed his sword into its head, and the shadow beast gave another paralyzing shreik. After a moment of flailing some more, the beast dropped the the ground, disappearing all together. Link and his sword fell to the ground. Midna ran over to him, helping him to his feet. She could see he was injured. But she didn't get a chance to ask him how badly he was hurt.

A flash of light in the center of the room bought their attention. An orb appeared, glowing and swirling with black and white light.

Success!

* * *

><p>Dredloc hid in the tall grass. The Temple of Shadow stood before him. Three hestur fulgar stood tethered, awaiting their masters and squawking to themselves. The Twili frowned. Such disgusting creatures they were.<p>

He ignored the birds and watched the temple entrance. Obviously his "prey" were in there, doing who knew what. He had arrived here only a few moments earlier. By the look of it, his prey had been in there for much longer. They would come out soon.

Just has he got that thought, the door opened. A Hylian woman came out. She turned back to the entrance, watching as the Twilight Princess herself came out, supporting a Hylian man, who looked like he was in pain. The door to the temple shut behind them. The Twilight Princess set the green-clad, Hylian down, while the other Hylian went to the hestur fulgar, rummaging through the saddle packs.

Dredloc ignored her, instead focusing on the Twilight Princess. She was talking to the green-clad warrior in a low voice, but the tracker saw something in her eyes. _Oh, don't tell me she's fallen for him!_ he thought. _Of all the people the Twilight Princess could love, it just had to be a Hylian!_

The Hylian woman returned to her companion's side, handing him a bottle. The green-clad warrior drank what was in the bottle. Immediately, he looked better. The pained look on his face disappeared and he grinned.

Dredloc grit his teeth with anger. That had been a healing potion! Now all three were battle ready! He should have attacked while the Hylian was down. No matter, he would attack now, kill the Hylians, capture the Princess, and return back victorious to Zant. He called on his powers, penned his enemies in, and stepped forward, noting how each of them was alert.

He didn't care. The only one that could possibly match him was the Twilight Princess. And he would knock her out first. He emerged from the plants, sealing off the barriers.

"My, my, Twilight Princess," he said. "Allowing two Hylians to taint a temple that's sacred to our people? That's a crime." The Twilight Princess glared, and Dredloc gave a short laugh. "Oh, Midna, you don't get it. You've caused more problems for the Twilight Realm than I have...or my master. You've broken the sacred Mirror of Twilight twice, not to mention fraternizing with the ones who banished us here in the first place!" He pointed his sword at the Hylians. "You've worked treason against Zant, Lord King of the Twilight Realm, and have even fallen for a light dweller! You're no more Twili than they are!"

"Shut it!" Midna shouted. "Zant is the traitor! And if you follow him, then that makes you one too!"

Dredloc raised his sword, glaring. He rushed at Midna, but another glowing sword met his. The green-clad Hylian blocked his blow. "Get away from her," he spat.

"Make me, light-dweller."

The two traded blows for a moment, but Dredloc felt himself being over powered. With a swift movement, the warrior jumped around, knocking the tracker to the ground. His sword was kicked from his hands, and he felt the blade of the warrior pressed against his throat.

"What should we do with him, Midna?" the warrior asked.

Dredloc looked up at the Twilight Princess. She had a mischievous look on her face. "You wouldn't dare!" he spat, vaguely getting the idea of what she was going to do.

"Oh, I would dare," the Twilight Princess said.

* * *

><p>For several hours after their encounter with the Twili, Zelda noticed that Link couldn't stop grinning. Truthfully, what Midna had done with Zant's follower was amusing: they had tied him up tight and warped him back to the Palace Village, a little note attached taunting Zant to try harder.<p>

But she didn't think Link needed to be smiling for so long afterward.

It didn't matter. Zelda sighed and readjusted her position astride her hestur fulga. There was something, definitely something, going on between the two. Not just because that Twili had said something, but because of the change in both the way they seemed. They were happier. They talked more to each other about seemingly pointless things. Perhaps that caused Link's smile.

Not that she wanted to see the Hero and the Twilight Princess sad, she just wanted to know what was going on. Something had happened, and wanted to find out.

_It's not my business,_ Zelda reminded herself. _I'll find out eventually._

They rode on, and by the fall of dark Twilight, the Temple of Wind was in sight. A sharp breeze picked up, but Midna assured them that it was only the temple's influence.

They set up camp an hour's journey from the temple. Zelda offered to take first watch, and both her companions complied. The dark Twilight wore on, but Zelda didn't feel tired, instead enjoying the warmth of the campfire and listening to the whistle of the wind. Every now and again, she'd glance at Link. The Hero had fallen asleep instantly, but he seemed to be dreaming again.

There was a sigh from the other side of the campfire. Midna was still awake.

"Are you okay?" Zelda asked. Midna sat up.

"No. The dumb wind is keeping me from falling asleep." She glanced at Link. "Funny how he can sleep through it."

Zelda nodded, watching Link again, before glancing back at the Twilight Princess. "So what's going on between you and Link?" she asked.

Midna looked up at her. "I knew you'd ask eventually," she said. She looked at Link again. "Well...I suppose you could say that he and I are in love. But, as of now, its been more like a realization of our feelings."

"That's what I thought," Zelda said. She smiled. "I'm glad for you two."

"Thank you," Midna replied, bowing her head modestly.

Zelda looked back at Link. She could tell his dreams were getting more intense. "We should wake him up. He looks like he's having a nightmare."

Midna went over to the Hero, and shook him. "Link. Wake up. Stop your silly dreaming."

Link's eyes snapped open. He seemed disoriented, then apologetic. "Did I wake you?" he asked wearily.

"No."

Link smiled and sat up, looking around. Midna sat next to him. They exchanged a glance, before Link stared into the fire. The wind whistled harder in the semi-darkness.

"Does it rain in the Twilight Realm?" Link asked.

"Rarely," Midna replied. "At least, rarely around the palace. The further away you get. The more rain there is. Why do you ask?"

"Looks like it might rain."

The three of them looked up. Dark clouds, darker than normal, rolled across the sky. Thunder echoed across the land.

"Great," Zelda said.

"It still looks pretty far off," Link said. "Maybe we can make it to the temple and take shelter there."

"Good idea," Midna said. They broke camp quickly, and hurried, leading their hestur fulgar along. Luckily, this temple had an overhanging cover by the entrance, so the three of them and their steeds avoided the rain as it poured down on the plain, drowning out the sound of the wind.

"At least it'll wash away any tracks we made so Zant won't be able to find us sooner," Midna announced hopefully. She and Link sat down, leaning against the door to the temple, while Zelda stood next to them, her blue eyes scanning plain. Link sighed, putting his head in his hands. "Goddesses, I hate dreams," he muttered.

Midna pulled him close, trying to give him comfort. He leaned into her. Zelda watched the scene, noting the exhaustion in the Hero's features. Midna looked up at her, and they came to a silent agreement.

Zelda knelt down next to Link and place a hand on his head, murmuring the words of the simple sleeping spell. He looked up at her with a grateful smile before closing his eyes. He leaned his head on Midna's shoulder and was soon asleep.

"We need to figure out why he's having these dreams," Zelda said, sitting next to the sleeping Hero. "They're not good for for him." Midna nodded. "Rest," Zelda told her. "I'll keep watch."

The Twilight Princess nodded again and soon, she, too, was asleep. Zelda observed the couple, smiling. She had never thought of them looking so perfect together, but here they were, huddled up against the rain in a loving embrace. She turned her gaze away from the sleeping pair and stared out at the rain and the large plain that spread out as far as the eye could see.

* * *

><p><em>Author's note: So now everyone knows Midna and Link are in love. Yay! As usual, thanks to those who reviewed for the previous chapter: bob115, Topaz Skye, and ThatSwedishGuy. Thanks for your great reviews! Just to clarify, I have finished writing this story, which is why I'm posting it so fast. Thanks for reading, don't forget to tell me what you think, and I'll see you all on Monday with Chapter Eight, which will answer a few questions. ~TwiliRupee<em>


	9. Chapter 8

_Author's note: So here you guys go. This should make up for the shortness of the previous chapter. In fact, I think this is my longest chapter yet! _

_This time around, you get some pretty interesting explinations of some mysteries I've put in here. Finally, right? So, thanks to Topaz Skye, bob115, and Llwynog the Bard for reviewing the previous chapter. **Enjoy and don't forget to tell me what you think in a review! **~TwiliRupee_

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight<br>**"You've got to be kidding me," Link said. He, Zelda, and Midna stood in the foyer of the Temple of Wind. Blasts of air hit them from all directions. But that wasn't what made Link say that.

There was a deep cavern that seemed to drop to nowhere. There was no way to get around it, and no way to cross it save for one thing. Suspended from each edge of the pit was a single thick rope. The winds shook the rope so violently that Link thought it would come off its tether points.

"I'd say that we could cross it," Zelda said, "but that would be suicide."

"I agree," Midna replied. She walked to the edge of the pit, crouching down next the the rope's tether. The temple wasn't as dark as the Temple of Shadow, but the walls of the pit were pitch black. Link could see Midna studying the far wall carefully. He crouched next to her, rummaging through his bottomless bag. He produced a bundle of arrows that had flames down their shafts. Taking one from the bundle, he slipped the rest back in his bag and pulled out his bow, stinging it quickly. He loaded the bow and nodded to Midna. "Tell me where to shoot."

"How's that going to help?"

"You'll see."

Midna rolled her eyes. "Try twenty feet or so below the opposite edge," she replied, pointing. Link nodded. He drew the bow back and fired. With a streak of red light, the arrow caught fire and embedded itself in the wall. The light of the fire arrow exposed a cave in the side of the wall. Link fired another arrow, lighting up the cave itself. There was a way through. But there was one more issue.

"How do we get there?" Midna asked.

"I would say that we could use the rope to swing down to it," Zelda said. "But we don't know if the rope's the right length to get us there safely."

Link rummaged in his bottomless bag again, searching long and hard for something. He pulled out a ball of sting. Midna smirked. "You keep string in there?" she asked.

"Yes. String comes in handy when you're traveling Hyrule...or, in this case, the Twilight Realm." He unraveled a bit of the string and set to work tying it tightly onto the rope so that the rope wouldn't get loose from the thrashing winds. After several moments, he handed Midna the ball of string, still attached to the rope, and drew the Master Sword. In one swift motion, he cut the rope from the tether, the string still keeping the rope from falling away. Midna let out the string and the rope lowered, ending up hanging two thirds of the way down the cave in the opposite wall.

When the rope was drawn back up, Link spotted something else on their side of the pit: a ledge protruding from the black wall, just below where they were standing. He jumped down on it, and heard Midna and Zelda shouting after him.

"You two are paranoid," Link replied as he saw his companions look over the edge. "This is here to make it easier to cross." Zelda and Midna exchanged a glance before joining the Hero, still clinging to the rope.

"Don't trick me like that," Midna scolded. Link only grinned at her before focusing on the problem at hand when Midna gave him the rope and ball of string back.

"Midna, you could hide in my shadow while Zelda and I get over there," he said.

"How are we going to get back?" Zelda asked. "There's no warping, no other rope to get us back."

"The vines," Midna said, pointing. On the wall, there thick vines that stretched from the floor where the orb was, across the pit, and stopping a safe distance over the floor on this side, though it was out of reach from any standing on the ground.

"Well, that settles it," Link said. He extended a hand to Zelda, who peered at the vines then down at the cavern before backing up. "You know what?" she said. "I might just stay here on this side. It's not that I don't trust you, Link. I don't particularly like heights."

"That's fine," Link said. Zelda got back up on the main floor, anxiously watching. Link stuffed the ball of string into his bottomless bag while Midna jumped into his shadow. The Hero tightening his grip on the rope itself and jumped.

It was perhaps the craziest thing the Hero ever did. For a moment, he was caught up in the buffeting winds, his only chance of life being a rope that could lash wildly and send him falling into the abyss. But then another thought came, one of flying that he experienced only twice before. It was almost joyful, but it ended when his feet touched down on the solid black rock of the cave. He cut the string free and looked around as Midna came out of his shadow.

They spotted a ladder at the back of the cave and climbed up, finding themselves next to the orb. Midna went to pick it up, but her hand went straight through it. She stared at it and attempted to pick it up again. Her hand went through it once more.

"It's a trap," Link said. His hand when to his sword.

Midna rolled her eyes. "Really?" she said teasingly. A loud, roar filled the air and a dragon, small enough to fit in the large windy cavern. Its black leathery skin and wings stirred the already tumultuous air and its red eyes looked directly at Midna. It roared and advanced, talons extended to grip the Twilight Princess.

Link saw what what coming. He pulled out his bow, aimed, and let loose a fire arrow, hitting the dragon in the side. It roared again, but still seemed to focus on Midna. The Hero dashed in front of Midna in order to protect her, moving through the illusion. The dragon seemed to notice him for the first time, and completely forgot about Midna. It charged again, this time at Link, roaring with all its might. Link raised his sword and as the dragon charged, he rolled, slicing upwards with his sword. The metal made contact with the dragon at the same time Zelda fired a light arrow at it, and it screeched even more.

Now it was furious, letting loose jets of fire on its opponents. They all attacked: Link with his sword and fire arrows, Midna with her magic, and Zelda with her light arrows. The dragon roared, lashing out as it took its final moments to cause the most damage to the ones hurting it. It crashed down on the ledge Midna and Link stood on, and tumbled into the pit, its long tail sweeping Link's feet out from under him. The Hero toppled on the edge of the ledge and fell after the dragon before Midna could pull him to safety.

"Link!" Midna and Zelda shouted over the wind as they peered into the pit.

"I'm fine!" came the Hero's voice.

"Where are you?" Midna demanded.

"I gabbed the rope at the last second," Link replied. Midna saw him pulling himself up toward the cave in the side of the wall. Midna rushed down to help him up.

"Don't you scare me like that again," the Twilight Princess said, hugging him.

"I couldn't help it," Link replied. He and Midna went back up to where the illusion of the orb was. But the illusion faded. Midna sighed. "So, the dragons gone, and the orb was just a fake. Where's the real orb?"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, there was a flash of light and shadow across the gap and the orb appeared next to Zelda.

"Well, there you have it," Link replied with a grin. He pulled out one of his claw contraptions from his bottomless bag. He slipped it onto his hand, offering the other hand to Midna. "Shall we?" he asked. Midna nodded and stepped closer. He wrapped his arm around her, and she gripped him tightly, slipping the orb into his bottomless bag. With a good aim, the clawshot fired out, grabbing onto the vines at the other side next to Zelda, and within seconds the Hero and the Twilight Princess were standing next to the Princess of Hyrule.

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><p>Zant shifted is position on the throne, deep in concentration, which was hard to do, being a madman. He was losing it fast. He sighed and opened his eyes, standing. He left the throne room of the Palace of Twilight, moving swiftly through the dark corridors until he came upon the balcony. It was the middle of dark Twilight, and no one was around to bother him. He stood there, gazing over the abyss that was behind the Palace of Twilight. His tracker, Dredloc, had sent him a message right before he was captured. What the Twili of the Palace Village did to Dredloc after he was sent there, the madman didn't know. But what he did know was the location of his enemy now. He hadn't bothered to watch them with his scrying mirror, but now that's what he thought he would do. It had been his method for tracking the Hero last time. Now he would use it again.<p>

He extended his hand, and the small round mirror appeared in a flash of shadow, floating eerily over his palm. Whispering the words to activate it, he called up the image of the entrance to the Temple of Shadow, but saw no one there. Fury built up in him, feeling betrayed, before he realized that it had been a few days since Dredloc's report. Obviously, they would have moved on.

He muttered a different scrying spell, one that would search a specific area for signs of life. The mirror blurred as it preformed its task. Then the image stilled over a pinprick of light in the semi-darkness. Zant zoomed in on it, and gave a quiet cackle of triumph. His enemies had made camp, and were circled about a campfire. Two of them were asleep – the Hero and the Princess of Hyrule – but Midna was awake, most likely on watch. She looked around, before her gaze landed on the Hero, a concerned expression on her face.

Zant focused in on the Hero, trying to figure out why the Twilight Princess would be concerned with a light-dweller. He gave another cackle of morbid delight, seeing that the Hero tossed with nightmarish dreams. His curse had worked marvelously. For now it was dormant, showing the Hero in his dreams the worst moments for the one he cared for the most. But once he was within range, Zant would activate the curse, and the Hero would die.

How simple it had been to set something so complicated in motion. And he was thankful that the Hero transformed into a wolf when it happened. It covered the real curse.

He watched as the Hero's tossing and crying woke the Hylian Princess. She and Midna went over to him, shaking him from his dreams. Zant watched with amusement as the Hero was jolted awake, rubbing his face.

"Must be someone he holds very close," Zant muttered devilishly. He knew the dreams caused by the curse would intensify the closer the Hero held his loved one to his heart.

Zelda extended a hand to the Hero, but he waved it off, saying something. That was the only thing wrong with Zant's method of spying. He couldn't hear what they were saying. He zoomed out again, keeping the light of the fire in his sight. They were near the Temple of Fire, about half a day's journey at the most.

He deactivated the mirror, grinning insanely. As soon as the Hero and his friends returned, he would die, along with the Princesses.

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><p>A hot breeze blew across the plain. Link blinked wearily and shielded his face from the scorching heat. The source of the high temperatures was the red-tinged building in front of them. The Temple of Fire was a low brick building, the oldest of the three, according to Midna, and therefore retaining the most of the Hylian structure brought with the banished Twili.<p>

"Looks like another Goron Mines," Midna said.

"That place," Link said, looking at her, "was hell."

Midna grinned. "Oh, yes. Especially with you nearly falling into the lava on multiple occasions and getting roasted by Fyrus. Are you just realizing that it was hell?"

"No. I'm stating it for Zelda's sake."

Zelda rolled her eyes before pulling her hestur fulga to a stop near the red building. It was so weird to see some building that was not made of black stone. A black door blocked the entrance, just like the other two temples. Zelda dismounted, dropping to the dry grass. Her companions followed suit. They tethered the hestur fulgar and marched up to the door. Unlike the first two temples they had visited, there was no lock or keyhole. Only an inscription. Midna frowned at it. "I have no idea what language this is in," she stated with confusion. Zelda peered at the inscription closely.

"It's Ancient Hylian," she said.

"And you know it?" Link asked.

"Well enough, yes. It's supposed to be the duty of a princess of Hyrule to know Ancient Hylian." Zelda studied the inscription, working the translation in her head. Then she spoke slowly in Hylian. "_When fire is cooled it is as hard as rock; thus your key to gain the secrets of this temple._"

Zelda stared at the inscription with confusion. "Well what does that mean?" Midna asked.

"It's simple," Link said. The Princesses turned to look at him. He was holding his Gale Boomerang. "But it makes complete sense. I know exactly what to do."

"Then enlighten us, oh, Hero," Midna teased. Link held up his boomerang. It glowed with the power of the Fairy of Winds that resided in it, a small whirlwind coming from it. The Princesses jumped away from the door as the Hero let it fly, wind swirling around it as it seemed to attack the door, on which green runes lit up. The more the boomerang blew its winds on the door, the more the runes began to glow. Finally, the door opened, and a blast of heat met their faces. The boomerang returned to Link, and he grinned, bowing teasingly at his preformance.

"Good job," Zelda said. "But now we have to face whatever is in there."

The three friends entered the Temple of Fire, and, just like the others, the door shut behind them.

"Welcome to Goron Mines number two!" Link announced sarcastically.

Midna rolled her eyes and looked out at the area in front of them. Before them were five walls of fire flaring up from the ground at intervals. When the walls died down, she could see lava flowing freely a few feet below edge of solid ground. Several platforms, some moving, some not, were scattered through out the field of fire. She couldn't see the other side because of the haze of heat. She sighed. "And I though Goron Mines was bad."

"It looks simple though," Zelda said. She was peering at the wall next to the door, where a map was etched. "Two floors, lots of lava, and the prize is right above us."

Midna and Link looked up.

"We could save ourselves the trouble and blow a hole through the ceiling," Link suggested.

"I would think there would be enchantments to stop that from happening," Zelda replied. Link sighed.

"Come on, let get past these walls." As soon as the first wall of fire went down, Link and his friends jumped across, finally getting to the edge after jumping over the rest of the low walls of fire. Link began to contemplate a path across the lava, which seemed to be impossible to do, until Midna got his attention.

"There's something hidden in that shadow over there," she said, motioning to a corner not exposed to the red light of the lava or the walls of fire.. She walked over, and Link and Zelda followed her. They didn't see anything.

"Are you sure the heat's not getting to you?" Link asked, half teasingly.

"Yes, Link," Midna replied. She reached out and grabbed something in midair. "You don't see the ladder?"

The Hylians shook their heads. Midna looked up, and began climbing.

"Okay, I believe there's a ladder there, but that's just creepy," Link said. Midna paused, looking down at her friend.

"You think it's weird because you can't see the ladder. Just stay there. I'll be back in a flash." She climbed up further and disappeared, seemingly into the ceiling.

"That is creepy," Zelda agreed.

After a moment, Midna came back down, holding a glowing orb in one hand. She grinned broadly. "Tada!"

"Good," Link said, "now let's get out of here."

Midna and Zelda agreed. They left the hot temple and started back to the Palace Village. The journey took three days, and by the time the sun was setting on the third day, the village was in sight. They were almost done.


	10. Chapter 9

_Author's note: I apologize for the shortness of the chapter, but I think you'll like it. Major fluff here, readers! As always, thanks to those who the previous chapter with great reviews: Topaz Skye, RheaTheWingedWhiteWolf, and Etoile of the twilight. Keep the reviews up, 'cause I'm eager to know what you guys think! Also, if you like this, please, check out my 100 Theme One-Shot Challenge. It's new but it'll have a lot of Zelda stuff in it! Thanks for reading and enjoy Chapter Nine! ~TwiliRupee_

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>**  
><strong>Marietta sighed, bored. Twelve days had passed since Midna, Link, and Zelda had left on their journey. Twelve long days of Zant threatening to destroy the village or enslave the Twili there. She tapped her fingers rhythmically on the table in her kitchen. Normally, she would be out at this time of day, enjoying the changing of the colors of the sky as light Twilight came upon them. But not now... not with all the dangers of the usurper king on the throne, it wasn't as safe as before.

But she couldn't take it. She stood and made her way out of the house, where two guards stood ready. They bowed their heads.

"I'm taking a walk," Marietta said. "Would one of you accompany me?"

"Of course, my lady," one of the guards said. He moved to Marietta's side and the two walked off through the streets. Several of her friends in the village greeted her, but one in particular came up to her, a grin on his face.

"Madam, three hestur fulgar have been spotted in the west," he said. "I believe your daughter has returned."

"Thank you, Hikaro," Marietta said. She and the guard hurried to the west entrance of the village. By the time they reached it, the Twilight Princess and her friend had arrived, dismounting from their rides. Midna smiled when she saw her mother.

"I'm so glad you're back safe and sound," Marietta said, embracing her daughter quickly. "I want to hear the whole story. Did you succeed? What were the temples like?"

"Don't worry," Midna said. "We'll tell you everything. But first, I think Link needs to get some sleep." She turned to the Hero who rolled his eyes. Marietta had to agree with her daughter. Link looked exhausted. She nodded and led the group back to her house.

"Link, go to bed," Midna ordered once they reached the cozy kitchen of Marietta's house.

"Midna..." Link protested.

"She's right, Link," Zelda added. "You were up all dark Twilight. You should get some rest."

Link sighed, but he didn't complain. He went up to the room Marietta had given him last time. He kicked off his boots and took off his sword belt before flopping down on the bed. He was asleep within seconds.

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><p><em>The wind and rain beat down on Link and Midna. Link pushed against the wind, looking around. He was tiring. His non-stop journey to get Midna to Zelda on top of whatever Zant did to him to keep him in wolf form was exhausting. But he couldn't stop. He could feel Midna's breathing getting shallower, her grip on his fur loosening. But he was almost there.<em>

_He jumped down from a ruined tower to the roof of the castle, his paws scrambling to grip the slippery tiles. He pulled himself up, loping as fast as he could toward the window into Zelda's tower._

_There was a squawk, and a kargaroc dove at him with its sharp beak. Link jumped at it, biting into its throat, the black blood staining his muzzle. The bird went down, and Link shook himself gently enough so Midna wouldn't fall from his back, but he still strong enough to get the blood off. He continued on, clambering into the window and jumping down to the spiral stairs. He ran up them, bursting into the room where Zelda had been last time._

_His heart fell. She wasn't there by the window._

_A thud beside him made him turn around. Midna had lost all strength. She lay on the stone floor of the room, shivering. Link looked at her. She was barely breathing._

_He felt like crying. She was going to die..._

"LINK!"

The voice shook Link from his dream. He opened his eyes and saw Midna standing over him, looking worried. He realized that he had been sobbing for real. He sat up, putting his hands to his face.

Midna sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around him. "Hey," she said in a soft and soothing voice. "They're just dreams."

"But they happened," Link replied, his voice shaking hard as he fought back the sobs.

"I know that. But it's in the past. I'm fine. True, I wasn't then, but now I am. There's nothing to worry about."

Link looked at her. "It's still heartbreaking," he said. "Because...I guess I fell in love with you then."

"Even though I was an unsightly imp with an attitude?"

"Even then. And now, when I revisit that time, I see how close you were to dying and how much I really cared for you...and how much I care for you now."

Midna studied him, noting the sincerity in his eyes, coupled with the exhaustion. She thought back to the desperate hour. She realized that it was after Link had brought her to Zelda that fateful night, that she, too, loved him back.

Link sighed, rubbing his face wearily.

"You should sleep, my silly Hero," Midna said, wrapping her arms around him. "Don't worry. I'll be right here."

Link nodded and they laid down. Link closed his eyes. Midna watched him drift off once more, his chest rising and falling with each breath he took. Sleepiness caught up with her as well. She leaned over the Hero and kissed his cheek. She watched his face, which was peaceful for now. She kissed his nose, noting the smile that spread on the Hero's face as she did so, and settled down to sleep, embracing the one she loved.

She didn't seem to be asleep for very long when she sensed someone calling her name. She pulled herself from sleep and opened her eyes, only to see her mother and Zelda standing over the bed where she and Link laid. She sat up suddenly, letting Link go and waking him at the same time. "It's not what it looks like," she said quickly. Link stirred and opened his eyes as well.

"What's going on?" he asked groggily before realizing just what was happening.

"Well, Midna," Marietta said as Zelda laughed by her side. "It looks like you solidified some things over your journey."

Midna ducked her head with embarrassment. "He was having his dreams again," she said. "I was only trying to comfort him." But the expressions on Marietta's face and Zelda's face didn't change. Zelda continued to laugh behind her hand. Midna got up from the bed, glancing back at Link. He grinned at her.

As she passed her mother on her way out of the room, she paused saying, "_P'uu ert ekki meouo uppistand, Mamma._" The Twilight Princess left the room. Marietta rolled her eyes and smiled at Link before leaving the room as well.

"I'm guessing you had a good night," Zelda said.

"We didn't do anything," Link replied, sitting up "And besides, I was dreaming again before she came in."

"And after?" Zelda sat in a chair that was next to the bed.

"I don't think I dreamed..." Link rubbed the tiredness from his face. "Why?"

"Well, after you went to bed, Midna, Marietta, and I went over the journey. Marietta knows plenty about the barrier, so she is sure the orbs we collected will break through it. Then we discussed how we were going to fix this problem of Zant. He's got to go. We were thinking today."

"Today?"

"Only if you're up to it. If you need more sleep, then we can wait until tomorrow. But the sooner he's gotten rid of, the better."

Link nodded. "Then let's end this today."

"I'll tell Midna. Come down when you're ready: Marietta has breakfast waiting."

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><p>There was a faint yellow glow surrounding the Palace of Twilight. It was obvious now that there was a barrier here, but Midna marched right up the the edge of it, reaching out and placing a hand to it. It reacted to her touch, and shocked her. She drew her hand away, her mind flooding with horrid memories of when her loved ones were in the most peril. She took a step back, trying to clear her mind.<p>

"Zant's got new magic," she said. "And it's really powerful."

Link stepped over to her side, as did Zelda. Link pulled the three orbs out of his bottomless bag, handing two of them to the Princesses. Side by side, Midna could tell which one had been held where. The one they had found in the Temple of Shadow had a gray glow to it as she balanced it in one hand. One of the other orbs had a red glow, while the third continued to shine white.

"On three," Midna said. "One...two...three!"

The three friends thrust their orbs forward toward the barrier. Ripples spread from where the orbs made contact. Sparks of lightning flew from where the glowing spheres made contact with the barrier.

Soon, the magic overwhelmed Link, Midna, and Zelda. With a wave of power, the three were sent backwards, landing hard on the ground. Midna jumped to her feet and looked up in fascination. Cracks spread from the orbs across the barrier like it was glass. Then, with a shattering sound, the whole thing broke, pieces flying everywhere. Midna shielded her face, and when she looked again, the Palace of Twilight was free once more.

"Reminds me of what you did to free Hyrule Castle," Link said, getting to his feet and pulling Zelda up as well.

"Yeah," Midna said. "Come on. Zant's waiting."

Midna warped the trio over to the entrance of the building and, without hesitation, Link opened the door and they entered.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Translation of what Midna said to Marietta: "You don't have to make a scene, Mom."<em>

**_Edit 9/11/12: Updated chapter so everything's much smoother and typo-less now. Hope it's a better read!_**


	11. Chapter 10

_Author's note: Before we get started, sorry for the really short chapter. I'll make it up to you!_

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><p><strong>Chapter Ten<br>**The entrance hall to the Palace what just like Link remembered it to be. Pockets of distilled shadow crystals sat in the corners of the room, obviously caused by Zant. A glowing set of stairs going up to the second level remained. Behind the stairs, hidden from the view of the entrance was a square of glowing blue light, something Link didn't remember the last time as Midna led them over to it.

"This would have been helpful last time you were here, Link," the Twilight Princess said, motioning to it.

"Yeah. When did you put it here?" the Hero asked.

"About a year ago," Midna replied. The trio stepped as one onto the glowing square and it took them upwards, letting them off next to a door. Link opened it and they entered the large balcony. Only one Twili loyal to Zant was there. He turned and made surprised noise and made for the door to the throne room, but Midna attacked him with a bolt of magic, making him fall to the floor.

"Don't hurt me!" the Twili said, covering his face and cowering.

"Then don't try to stop us," Link said. The Twili nodded, still cowering.

"Go to the door, you two," Midna said. "I'll make sure he won't go back on his word."

"I won't," the Twili said as Link and Zelda went to the next door. "Zant freaks me out!"

Midna glared at the Twili, before joining her friends, leaving him and the balcony behind.

The next room was the largest in the palace. This one passed without mishap as another glowing blue square took the friends up to the top to another door. When Link opened this one, two Twili met them with blasts of magic. Midna reacted quickly enough to get a shield up. She engaged one of the Twili while Link and Zelda took on the other.

"Don't kill him!" Midna shouted to her companions. "Just incapacitate him."

"Why?" Zelda asked, blocking her opponent's sword.

"I have my reasons." Midna charged an attack and released upon her enemy, throwing him against the wall, at the same time Link drove his sword into the other Twili's leg. He shouted in pain, dropping to his knees. Both of the enemies were out for the count.

Midna, Link, and Zelda stopped next to the door leading to the throne room. They exchanged glances. "Well," Link said. "Any last words before we fight the madman?"

"I hope we beat him," Zelda said. "Not that I don't like the Twilight Realm, but I hope to see the sun before dark Twilight comes again."

"As do I," Link replied, before glancing at Midna. "And more."

Midna blushed. She sighed and turned to her companions. "I just want to thank you both for your help. Even if we lose today, I'll still be grateful that you took your time to come with me on this crazy adventure. And Link...I love you." Midna embraced Link quckly, and the Hero returned it.

"I love you, too, Midna," he replied in a soft voice. After a moment, they let go and Link grinned. "Now let's kick some Zant butt!"

Midna laughed and opened the door to the throne room. The trio stepped inside and the door shut behind them, locking. They stepped forward cautiously up the set of stairs toward the throne, before stopping. The black marble throne was empty.

The sound of warping came behind them, and they turned around. There stood Zant in all his insane glory, his helmet removed.

"So," he said, his voice smooth. "Here we are again."

"And again we'll defeat you," Link said.

Zant gave a bark of harsh, mad laughter. "Oh, you think so, Hero? And how can you do so when you exhausted from nightmares of your precious Princess Midna?"

Link took a step back. How did the villain know?

"Enough, Zant," Midna said, stepping in between Link and the madman. "How did you come back to life?"

"Ah. Now, that's a tale." Zant warped quickly over to the throne and sat down, staring at them. "I could say it was the work of Ganon, but that would be a lie. I don't follow him anymore. I followed him originally because I thought he was a god and that he could continually give me powers even when he did not walk the earth as a mortal. Turns out, he wasn't a god, as proved by the Green Grasshopper here." He pointed to Link, who glared at the annoying nickname. "No, I came back because one of my trusted minions, whose name I will not reveal, decided that it was time to reclaim my throne."

"_Your _throne?" Midna shouted. "That's a load of crap, Zant. I am the rightful heir to the Twilight Throne! My father said so!"

"And your father was a fool." Zant produced one of his curved daggers and examined the edge of the blade. "True, my uncle – your father - was a good ruler, but he lacked wisdom. Never had there been a female ruler!"

"You're wrong, Zant," Zelda said. "There has been a Queen before, the first ruler of this realm."

"And you're a light dweller. What do you know of the Twili's history?"

"Enough to know more than you!" Link snarled.

Zant looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Is that so, Hero? Well, why don't you prove it, then, by defeating _me_?" Zant leaped from the throne, both daggers exposed, and flew straight at Link. Link jumped out of the way, slashing at the mad Twili as he passed. Zant shouted as the blade made contact with his side. But it wasn't a fatal wound. Zant whipped around and blasted Link backwards. The Hero hit a wall and fell to the ground.

"How dare you?" Midna shouted, infuriated. She charged at Zant and fought him head on, ducking the daggers and blasting him with magic every chance she got. But Zant blasted her back as well. She landed next to Link, stunned.

Zant turned on Zelda. The Hylian Princess raised her sword and blocked a dagger blow, slashing back immediately, catching Zant's arm. He yowled in pain, backing off.

"So, petty little girl, you actually have some skill with the blade. And here I thought you were bluffing back when I took Hyrule. You wielding a sword seemed to be the most ridiculous idea. But I guess I was wrong. No matter, I still have more than you." Zant smirked and charged up a magic attack just as Midna and Link were struggling to their feet. The evil Twili let loose a shock wave with a loud yell that sounded more like a deranged cat. The shock wave blew holes in the walls, revealing the Twilight outside. Midna, Zelda, and Link were sent flying back across the gap, past where the barrier had once sat.

Midna landed hard, rolling a few times from the momentum. She grit her teeth in pain pushed herself to her knees. She looked around. Link and Zelda were struggling to get up as well. Link's tunic shirt sleeve was turning red with blood and he held a hand over it in obvious pain, blood running across his hand. He gripped his sword tighter anyway. Zelda seemed to have escaped any major wounds, though she held her head like she had a headache. A crowd of Twili from the Palace Village were gathering nearby, watching first the smoking Palace, then Midna, Link, and Zelda getting to their feet.

Zant warped in next to them. "Powerful, isn't it?" he demanded with an insane cackle. "None of you stand a chance now, especially not you Hero."

"Really?" Link said, his voice betraying the pain he was in. Midna's heart went out to him with worry. "And why's that Zant?"

Zant smirked, raising a hand toward the Hero, and spoke words that seemed like gibberish. "_Seba yabloko!"_

Link dropped his sword with a gasp and it clattered to the ground. His hands clutched his head, his face contorted in pain. He fell to the ground, motionless.

"LINK!" Midna cried, running over to her lover. She dropped to her knees, turning him onto his back. His face was going pale, and his skin was growing colder. He was barely breathing. Tears of rage and sorrow flowed down the Twilight Princess' face as she turned on Zant. "What did you do to him?" she demanded as Zant cackled mercilessly.

"You're out of luck, Midna!" the villain snarled insanely. "And obviously you and Zelda were too stupid to find out that he has been cursed the whole time. His dreams were a precursor!"

"You caused his dreams?" Zelda demanded. Tears streamed down her face as well.

"My dear Zelda, if you had but simply checked, you would have found it. But you didn't, and now your Hero has only five minutes left to live. There's no remedy for it now!"

Midna's fury seemed to make her glow. She stood and raised her arms toward Zant, a look of pure menace in her crimson eyes. With a shout, she blasted Zant into the abyss with one of the most powerful attacks the Twilight Realm had ever seen.

The Usurper King Zant, was gone, dead before he started to fall.

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><p><em>Author's note: Mwahaha! Cliff hanger! Why is it that I enjoy beating on Link? Truthfully, I don't really know. Oh, well. As always, thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter: RheaTheWingedWhiteWolf, Llwynog the Bard, Topaz Skye, and DaniErufuun. See you all Monday!<em>


	12. Chapter 11

_Author's note: Sorry for the short chapter. As usual, thanks to Topaz Skye and Llwynog the Bard for the great reveiws on the previous chapter._

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven<strong>  
>Midna and Zelda knelt next to Link's lifeless form. Tears fell like rivers down their cheeks, but Midna shook with sobs, her cries echoing through the Twilight Realm. The Twili who saw what happened began murmuring, and Marietta pushed her way through the crowd to run to her daughter's side. She knelt down next to her, placing a hand on Link's pale forehead, her face turning grave.<p>

"Isn't there anything?" Zelda asked the former Queen in a shaking voice.

Marietta shook her head, watching her daughter cry her heart out for the Hylian she loved. "I'm sorry," she said, taking her hand away.

Midna stared at Link's face and was struck with realization in this horrid moment. This must have been how he had felt when Zant had cursed her. But that time there had been a remedy. That time there was something to heal.

Now? Now there was nothing – no remedy...no hope. Her only true love was going to die in just a few minutes. She wouldn't even be able to say goodbye...to see his smile...to hear is laugh...to feel his arms around her in a loving embrace.

Reverently, she leaned over him, pressing her lips to his one last time in a kiss, sobs shaking her. She sat up and swallowed hard. It was the best goodbye she could give him.

But perhaps...perhaps it wasn't a goodbye.

After a moment, Link stirred, his face gaining color once more. Astonished, Midna watched his eyes flicker open, his chest rising and falling in deep breaths. His gazed fell on her first. "Why the tears, love?" he asked.

Midna sobbed again and she hugged him, pulling him close. "I thought I was going to lose you," she whispered in his ear. Link hugged her back tightly.

Zelda looked at Marietta. "A kiss?" she asked with confusion.

Marietta nodded slowly, saying, "To break the curse, all that is needed is true love's kiss." She watched Link sit up, and the Twili crowd burst into cheering at the sight of the green-clad Hero. Link and Midna kissed again, getting even more cheering from the crowd. Zelda and Marietta smiled happily as well.

"I'd say, my dear daughter," the former Queen told Midna, "that there will be a wedding soon!"

"Mother!" Midna protested, but she couldn't help but grin. Perhaps what Marietta said was true...

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><p>Link took a deep breath of air, nudging Epona into a trot as he entered Ordona Province. He was home for now, yes, but only to spread the news to his friends. Midna hid in his shadow. She had insisted coming with him since she couldn't bear to let him out of her sight since the battle against Zant a four days ago.<p>

"Link!"

Link pulled Epona to a stop and saw Ilia coming out of the Ordon spring. "Hey, Ilia," he greeted, jumping down from Epona.

"You're back," Ilia said. There was only a hint of joy in her voice. Link saw his shadow shudder as Midna showed her opinion of the girl's tone in a silent way. Link knew perfectly well that the Twili could be very talkative and still be hidden in his shadow.

"Yup. I'm back. The world is saved now."

"That's good."

"I've got some news to tell the village. Do you want to walk with me?"

Ilia gave a small smile. "Sure." Link handed her Epona's reins and they walked together, side by side, through the forest.

"So your heroic efforts proved successful?" Ilia asked.

"Well, I had some help," Link replied, glancing at his shadow.

"As long as everything's back to normal."

Link and Ilia arrived at the clearing in front of Link's house and stopped. Link put Epona in the stall and began to remove her saddle and bridle.

"So," Ilia asked, any joy in her voice gone, "did you run around as a wolf at all?"

Link looked at Ilia, trying to hide his surprise and replace it with confusion. "What?"

"You heard me, Little Wolf."

Midna laughed at the nickname from Link's shadow. Ilia looked around, unsure if the laugh she heard was real or fake.

"I'll answer your question once you tell me how you know," Link said.

Ilia sighed and stroked Epona's nose. She had been expecting this, but she was not going to tell her friend that she had been spying on him. Instead, she gave another answer. "Your eyes, Link. You can't hide them even when you're a wolf."

Link nodded. "That makes sense," he said. He came out of the stable.

"How do you transform?"

"I don't...at least not by myself. Someone else does it for me." He tapped his shadow with the tip of his boot. "Come on out. She's going to have to hear the whole thing."

"Aw, but I like my hiding place," Midna replied from Link's shadow, startling Ilia.

Link rolled his eyes. "Listen, Ilia, you can't tell anyone about this. It's a secret. Can I trust you?"

Ilia nodded. "Yes."

Midna jumped out of Link's shadow. Ilia took a few steps back, realizing this was the same woman who came to get Link when he was a wolf. "Ilia," Link said. "This is Twilight Princess Midna, ruler of the Twili and..." He paused to exchange a smile with Midna. "And my fiancée."

"Fiancée?" Ilia asked with a tone of jealously.

"Yeah."

"Aren't you too young to get married?"

"It's not for a while," Midna replied. "So you'll still have your crazy Hero here for another year or so."

"Crazy?" Link asked. Midna grinned teasingly.

"Anyway, Ilia, do you want to see a magic trick?" the Twilight Princess asked, a mischievous glint in her her crimson eyes.

"Sure...I guess," Ilia replied.

Midna tapped Link on the head and he instantly transformed. He growled at Midna with annoyance. "That's how he transforms," the Twilight Princess said with a laugh.

Link rolled his eyes, and Ilia smiled slightly. Midna transformed him back. "Anyway," she said. "It would mean a lot to my Little Wolf if you came to the wedding."

Ilia hesitated. Then she nodded. "Of course I'll come."

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><p><em>Author's note: Once again, I'm sorry for the shortness. This and the previous chapter were one whole thing at one point, but then i decided that there just had to be a cliffhanger so i separated them...I hope it makes up for it. And yes, I had just watched Disney's <strong>Enchanted<strong> when I wrote this chapter. So yes, true love's kiss is the only thing that'll save Link. Cliché, yes, necesary, also yes!_

_Stay tuned for the eplilogue! ~Twili Rupee_


	13. Epilogue

_Author's note: Thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter: Topaz Skye, Llwynog the Bard, and Seeker Heart._

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><p><strong>Epilogue<br>**The little girl clung to her mother's hand as the she followed her through the crowded streets. The world around her was weird. Not only was it brighter that her home, but also the people looked different, as did the buildings. She could see the strange people staring at her and her mother, but her mother didn't seem to care.

The four-year-old thought that maybe they were staring because she looked just like her mother, with matching hair and skin color. Only the girl's eyes were different: they were a deep blue, contrasting with her Twili appearance.

Her pace slowed as she caught sight of a rock man walking along in the opposite direction. Her mother turned to her. "Come along, Nellie," she said.

Nellie nodded. "Yes, Mama," she replied, walking along by her mother's side once more, until they came to the center of the town. A sparkling fountain sat in the middle of the circle. Several children played around it and a small trio of grown-ups stood next to it, talking. But Nellie didn't stop, for she caught sight of another building, taller then the rest. Her mother led her toward it, stopping at the gate where two men stood, garbed in shiny silver armor.

"We're here to see the Queen," Nellie's mother said. One of the men nodded.

"Ah, yes," he said. "Her Majesty said you would be coming. She and the Hero are in the garden."

Nellie's mother nodded and led her through the gate, where the tall-towered building rose in front of her. It was probably just as big as her home...maybe even bigger. She stopped, gazing up at the building made of gray stone.

Her mother knelt down next to her. "Amazing, isn't it?" she asked.

Nellie nodded. "What's it called?" she asked.

"Hyrule Castle. This is where our friend Zelda lives."

Nellie nodded again. She vaguely remembered this Zelda person...perhaps she met her when she was smaller?

Her mother took her hand once more as she stood. "Come. We must not keep the Queen waiting." The pair set off again, this time along the paths of the massive courtyard. They went into another section of the courtyard. Beds of flowers were abundant here, coloring the garden with golds, reds, blues, purples, pinks, and whites. Butterflies flitted from flower to flower, and a small boy, probably the same age as Nellie, chased after a few of the floating insects.

A patio was set up closer to a set of doors into the castle. A round table and a few chairs were occupied by three regal people – two men and a woman. The woman had a golden crown atop long blond hair tied back delicately with a few loose strands to frame her blue eyes. Her dress, made of silk, seemed to shine in the sunlight. To her right was one of the men. He, too, wore a crown of gold over his dark hair, and his warm brown eyes sparkled with laughter.

The other man, sitting across from the crowned pair, was dressed simply in a dark green tunic and hat, though his tunic and hat had black and light green Twili designs woven into them. He had a sword and shield strapped across his back.

Nellie didn't know who the crowned man and woman were, but she knew the warrior. She let go of her mother's hand and, as the group at the table noticed her and her mother, she ran toward the warrior, her mother following slowly behind. "Papa!" she exclaimed happily. Her father stood and scooped her up as she reached him. She squealed with laughter and hugged him tight.

After a round of greetings, the crowned woman, who Nellie now knew was the Queen, called out to the little boy in the flowers as Nellie's father set her back down on the grass. "Matt, come and show Nellie here those flowers we planted this morning."

The little boy came over and smiled shyly. Nellie looked at her parents for permission. "Go on, Nellie," her father said. Nellie grinned and the two children ran off.

"Nellie's grown so much," Queen Zelda said, watching the children playing among the beds of flowers and flocks of butterflies. Her husband, Matthew, nodded in agreement.

"Yes, well, the older she is, the feistier she gets," Link replied as he and Midna sat down. "And, of course, she gets that from her mother."

Midna rolled her eyes. "Oh, really? And where's your evidence for that, Hero?" she teased. Link gestured to her.

"You just gave me proof as you spoke." He grinned as Zelda and Matthew laughed at their gentle bickering.

"Well, I'm eager to see how you handle two feisty children," Midna teased back.

Link waved a dismissive hand. "Easy as fighting bulblins."

"What's this about two children?" Zelda asked, her eyebrows raised questioningly.

"Link gets to be the proud father of two feisty half-Twili children rather than just one," Midna explained, her grin widening.

"Really?" Matthew asked. Link and Midna nodded.

"Oh, that's wonderful," Zelda said happily. "Have you told Nellie, yet?"

"No," Link replied. "Soon though. It'll be good for her to have a sibling." Midna nodded in agreement with her husband. For a moment, the four monarchs were quiet, watching Matt and Nellie playing in the garden. The warm evening air surrounded them like a hug.

Little did they suspect, back in the Twilight Realm, an evil was stirring after several years of imprisonment...and he was going to get some payback.

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><p><em>Author's note: Yes, I'm setting up for the sequel. Mwahaha!<em>

_I realize that this might not be the long fiction you all were hoping for, but I'm not going to end it here. There will be another, maybe two others, and the rest of my storiies. Don't think this is the end._

_Thanks to all of you for reading, and especially to those who reviewed! And thanks also for putting up with my insane-as-Zant-worthy typos (I was re-reading some chapters and saw that I had misspelled "blood" wrong - which I promptly fixed.) I must have been half asleep not to catch those typos. If you enjoyed it, I'm glad. Don't forget to check out my other stuff and tell me what you think!_

_BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! For your reading pleasure, I have two previews for you, a more original but still fanfic-y fanfic, and the sequel to **Twilight's Return**:_

**_The Protector..._**

She faltered on a note, more tears streaming down her face. A sob filled her and she stopped playing all together. Putting her face in her hands, she began to cry. Mido sat up, concerned for his friend. Gently, he placed a hand on her back. Saria leaned into him, trying to take comfort. Mido, surprised by this gesture, wrapped his arms around her.

And the Sage of Forest cried on, one name being muttered over and over again...

...Link.

**_Stolen..._**

"What does the note say?" the Queen asked with a shaking voice as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

Link hesitated as he smoothed out the ransom note, before speaking in an equally shaking voice as he read the letter aloud to Midna. _**"If you ever want to see your children again, you will be at Kakariko Village in Hyrule at sundown, five days from now."**_

_That's it. Again, thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Until next time!_

**_~TwiliRupee_**


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